


When You Fall Again

by alltherestisdrag



Category: RuPaul's Drag Race (US) RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Branjie, Business Life AU, Choking, Drunkenness, Eventual Romance, Excessive Drinking, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Happy Ending, Heartbreak, Lesbian AU, Mommy Kink, Power Play, Slow Burn, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, Strap-Ons, Vomiting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:42:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 33,994
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28413345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alltherestisdrag/pseuds/alltherestisdrag
Summary: “You know, I’m kinda old... You probably remember better about those high school shit but...” Vanessa put the chapstick in it’s place and knitted her eyebrows, waiting for Brooke Lynn to say something important. “When you drink from the same cup with someone or like use the same lipstick... you kinda kiss, right? I don’t remember those crazes wrong?” Holy shit.***Brooke -the Ice Queen herself- was the CEO of the Hytes Shoe Brand, and Vanessa was working as the Logistic Manager for a big shopping website, Doll Hall. The Hytes team decided to switch the buildings, and apparently Doll Hall had some company.Brooke needed a new logistic manager eventually after the latest one couldn’t take Brooke’s cockiness and resigned. She was hearing good things about Vanessa, so hiring her seemed really wise.They were gonna meet eventually, but what if she really fell on her lap like an angel from the sky?
Relationships: Brooke Lynn Hytes/Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, Nicky Doll/Jaida Essence Hall
Comments: 58
Kudos: 36





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Oh, how much I missed to be publishing my works with you here! 
> 
> This work is definetely my babiest baby, one of my favorite works so far that I found the heart to share, so hope you enjoy!
> 
> I shall not pass, some events are inspired by the Turkish TV series, Love for Rent, written by Meric Acemi, but the story line is completely different. There’s no love for rent, don’t worry! But it’s surely gonna get hot in here! So take some coffee, get under your blankets and enjoy the read angel. Hope you have a great day.
> 
> (Also English is not my first language, so please ignore my possible grammar mistakes.)

The whole business plaza was being shaken with the news and unbelievable problems on that day. And Vanessa was about to lose her damn mind. I had signed to be a logistics manager, she was thinking, not to manage the whole company! Because her coworkers were running to her room on that day as if they agreed on that, for literally ‘any’ problem. They couldn’t find a file? They would come to her instead of checking the archives. The storage is full? Alright, she could manage that one. The toilets are clogged? Seriously, what the fuck.

“No! No! I’m busy!” She shouted when she heard the heel clacks coming closer to her room, and continued checking the files in front of her. But apparently, that wasn’t enough to make the person stop. 

“Vanjie, we have a prob-“ 

Vanessa knew that voice, so she raised her hand and stopped her friend in less than a second. “We don’t. Because you’re gonna solve it, ‘alone’.” She rubbed her face, not minding the last bit of makeup remaining on her face. “I gotta mail these files today, and I haven’t even checked them yet. So get lost, Kiki.” She wasn’t really expecting for the girl to disappear, but she made it sure when A’keria came closer to her desk. 

“Ness’, this is serious.” Vanessa took a deep breath, and grit her teeth with her last little drip of patience. “Yeah, so the other ten were. What’s it this time? Our boss wants a coffee from my hands?”

When she laid back to her chair, she only had a chance to look at her friend. She was looking as tired and ruined as her. And the look on her face wasn’t pleasing at all. She wasn’t laughing either. That was when Vanessa realised that the problem was huge.

“Air conditioning is working too much. It was only enough for us and now we got to get a new system or we’re fucked. It won’t carry two floors using it at once.”

Vanessa really, really wanted to disappear, so she did as she could, by laying down and down on her comfy chair. “And what am I, A’keria? Our boss? Why don’t you talk this to them?”

A’keria sit onto one of the visitor chairs and grabbed a pen from Vanessa’s table to make her hair into a bun. “I did, stupid. They said talk to Vanessa, she can figure this out.”

Well, the order was from a higher status, so she had to make it happen somehow. She closed her eyes shut and tried to find a good idea. But she was getting angrier instead. Because of the new fancy ass shoe company moving upstairs, their tune was fucked. And now, she had to find a solution for the air conditioning, otherwise they were all gonna die in that boiling LA summer.

“We can’t tell them to stop using air conditioning, they need that too. We gotta buy another system for both of the companies to make it stronger. Are they willing to pay for it? Did you talk to them?”

A’keria shrugged. “I talked to the CEO’s assistant and the poor girl couldn’t even ask to her boss, the answer was clearly no. Because they want ‘us’ to stop using it.” With the end of the sentence, Vanessa’s mouth went wide open. Well, they clearly hit a selfish, hard rock that time. And all she wanted was going upstairs and punching that damn CEO on the face, for causing countless problems just on day one.

“Give me a reason to not go upstairs and kick his butt, now.” Vanessa was serious, and literally everybody knew that. She had a potential to go and fight with the whole company for their boss being an asshole, even though that wouldn’t bring good consequences to them. A’keria cleaned her throat and started talking with a soft, convincing voice, “Okay, don’t be so sure of yourself because here’s the reasons...” Vanessa was staring at her stressfully when she was playing with the hair strand escaped from the bun. “First of all, he’s a ‘she’,” she stopped and looked right into Vanessa’s eyes, knowing that she got her attention, “And second, she is the hottest bitch ever stepped into this building, no offense.” Vanessa raised her brows and pulled her chair closer to her table to show her interest. She clearly wasn’t waiting for something like that. A’keria immediately got the sign and started detailing the topic. “She literally has freaking muscles, ‘Ness. She can hold and fuck you without getting tired for 7 hours.” Well, that was getting too much. Vanessa gulped and averted her gaze to the painting onto the wall, feeling a drip of sweat flowing into her dress. “She’s blonde, also Canadian, just your type. And she’s gay, but you didn’t hear from me. The tea is hot.”

Well, after that sentence, her thoughts about punching her were slowly turning into trying to convince her to pay for air conditioning by seducing and flirting. Because holy shit, if she was as hot as Kiki said...

“So, what are we gonna do?” Vanessa jumped from her chair when A’keria asked after a long deep silence of thinking. “Don’t spurt, bitch!” Vanessa rested her hand on her chest and tried to regulate her breathing. Her friend was busy with laughing at her. It took some time for them to focus onto the real point. 

“Apparently, we’re not gonna do anything. We can’t pay for the whole system,” Vanessa said. “So that’s not my problem anymore. What is the worst thing could happen? Right?” A’keria shrugged, and stood up. She pointed the schedule behind Vanessa’s back, on the wall while fixing her skirt. “Right babes. Don’t forget to call the storage manager. Tomorrow we’re getting the deliveries.”

When Vanessa was alone with her files again, she took a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a second. She was still wondering about the cocky bitch upstairs, but she had a whole file to fill and send, so that thoughts could’ve wait. However, after a busy day of working, she had a huge trouble focusing onto the article.  


After twenty minutes of trying, she was still on the first paper and that was turning into a modern torture; so she decided to take a little cigarette break for herself. But clearly the universe hated her for death, she realised when all the lights went out suddenly. They were completely in dark. A couple of overdramatized screams rebounded around the floor and all the workers started talking and discussing loudly. “Jesus, don’t we have generators?” Normally, whenever they get a power cut, they would have it back in seconds, but this situation wasn’t looking good.

“Team, we’re having a little problem because of the power splitting in half. So this will take some time. Please stay in your place!” She heard one of her coworkers shouting from the hallway, and rolled her eyes. 

They were probably calling electricians or something, so at least she could have some rest until they arrive.

But her phone started buzzing instead, with one of her friends, also coworker’s name on the screen. “What, Silk?” She asked tiredly. “If you’re calling about the power cut, they’ll deal with it as soon as possible.” Silky was working in the storage, so she was downstairs. The shit was probably harder in there.

“No, hoe. I’m calling because all these bitches are illiterate. Probably just the fuse blew out because of the overload. You just gotta turn it on.” Vanessa bit her lips and threw her head back while listening to her friend shouting on the other line. “The battery master switch is in your room, Vanj, just turn them o- what? I’m talking to Vanessa.” When Silky started talking to another worker Vanesa was about to scream. “Silk, tell me which one I gotta turn on, I bet there’s a hundre- fuck!”  


She scream whispered when Silky hung up on her and turned her phone light on. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, what the hell do I know about the electricity? Why do I have to do this?”

She was grumbling while looking for the lid she has to find. All she wanted to do was finishing her work and leave, but this was the thing she had to deal with now. 

“Found you, motherfucker,” she whispered when the flash hit the shiny lid on the wall. But it was too high, there was no way Vanessa could reach them open with her smallness.  


“I’m gonna sue you all if anything happens to me,” she started talking to herself while dragging her swivel chair under the lid. “I swear to god...” She took her stilettos off and stepped onto it. It was so freaking hard to keep her balance when the devil’s creature kept swinging and shaking her, so she had to stay very still. She took a deep breath, and opened the lid. “Yeah, a thousand and forty five different switches. Which one I’m gonna change now?” She bit her lower lip and started gazing over the huge area with the help of her flash, and luckily, it wasn’t that hard to find.

There was a huge one on the top of all, and it was clearly turned off automatically. She wondered how she couldn’t have heard the clack. It wasn’t such a thing to think, since her head was full of thoughts already.

She tried to reach it to push up, but it was high, much more higher than she could reach. She gotta jump or something to push that.

And right at that moment, the worst thing happened. Her phone died. “Fuck!” She shouted. “I needed you so much for once and you’re leaving me in the lurch?” She kept grumbling and tried to reach it with her phone this time, her eyes not seeing anything.

“Holy shit,” she stepped onto her tiptoes and tried again. “I can’t-“ 

When she heard the heel clacks again, she was so glad. “Kiki, hand me something from my desk-“ she whined. “I can’t reach.” But no one was talking or helping. However she could still hear her heels. “I swear to god I’m gonna punch you if I fall-“ 

She did the only thing that she shouldn’t have done, and jumped. Well, at least she could push the switch open, the lights were on. But the thing is, her feet wasn’t on the chair anymore.

She knew that she was gonna hit so hard on the floor so she wrapped her arms around her head as she screams, but her fall wasn’t as harsh as she expected when she felt herself into someone’s arms.

“Got you.” she heard from a soft strange voice while falling, and the most attractive smell ran into her nose right after that. And there she was, all safe but so scared. It took her seconds to open her eyes and take her hair off her face. 

“Oh my god,” she whispered, and looked at the one who saved her. And when she saw, she repeated uncontrollably. “Oh my god...” 

There was the prettiest face she had ever seen in her life. She eyed her better while her chest was still heaving with fear and excitement. Her face was structured perfectly with sharp cheekbones, a gorgeous jawline and pretty slender eyes. Those greens were shining with feelings, the opposite of the benumbed look of the rest of her face. Those lips were there to kiss, for sure. She was inhuman, Vanessa thought. And if she was the devil, oh, I’d fall even from grace.

***

“I don’t wanna hear any excuses, you’re gonna fix it, I do not care how. I hired you for a reason, right?” The woman was walking through the room angrily on her heels, pressing her airpods closer into her hear to keep herself from throwing them away with rage. “No, I haven’t talked to them, and I won’t. I’m not planning to turn off my air conditioning either. But they will, instead.” She drove her hand through her blondes, and exhaled loudly. She wanted to start sobbing, and she would never cry. They weren’t so different than a wreck. “I didn’t rent this building to sweat and choke. I could stay in the other plaza instead, if I wanted that to happen.” 

Her assistant on the other line wasn’t trying enough, she was thinking. And as if she wasn’t dealing with enough problems on the day one in her new office, now they were talking her head off. “You know what? I’m done with this, Plastique.” She spitted. Trying to ignore her migraine appearing. ”Talk to their logistics manager, pay them as much as they want and hire them for both companies to fix this. Because I’m so tired of this antique building’s problems.” She hung up, and sat onto her desk, closing her eyes to have some quiet time for herself, trying to keep her tears away from dripping. All she wanted was designing another piece for the fall collection, but her mind was completely busy. There was no inspiration. And she knew that when she force herself to draw, that piece wouldn’t sell good. 

“Brooke?” She heard her business partner’s voice from the door, and opened her eyes. And fanned her face with her hands to look refreshed. The other woman was looking concerned. “Are you okay?”

Brooke shaked her head and shrugged instead, swallowing hardly. “I’m drained, Nina.” She knew that her best friend was the only one who really understood her, so she could let her guards down easily in front of her. “I knew that moving a whole ass office wouldn’t be a piece of cake, but the shopping company downstairs isn’t helping at all. Now we have a problem with the air conditioning and humidity system, and they want ‘me’ to fix it.”

Nina inhaled deeply and raised her brows. She’d been dealing with the finances for an hour, and apparently a hundred problems had popped up when she had gone. “Well, our logistic manager just found the greatest time to resign. Didn’t she?” They both looked with fear into each other’s eyes. “We have no time. Are you planning to hire their manager for both of us?” Nina laid back on the door, it was clear the moving phase was so tiring for them both. They’ve been coming through all the problems together for years, but this was one of the hardest days of their bussiness lives for sure.

Brooke nodded and caressed her neck with an unsure look on her face. She was trying to find the fastest solutions, and thank god, that brain was working more than well. “Well, that would make sense honey, since they’re gonna be a good market for us too.” Brooke licked her lips and tried to warm the room by clapping her hands, no one was so used to her being so fun and energetic, however they both needed to feel better for a while. Normally, Nina would cheer her up but now they were both so hopeless, she felt like she had to take the lead by faking. “Come on, Nina,” she smiled and walked through her best friend to give her a hug. “We’ve done harder before, we can do this, okay? Everything is gonna be alrigh- are you fucking kidding me?”

It was like the world was trying to make her feel worse and worse even though she tried her best to stay positive, Brooke thought, when the power suddenly went off and they all stayed in dark. “Oh, shit.” Nina cursed too, and they separated their bodies to see if the lights would come back in a second. But they weren’t. “God, Plastique had warned me.” Brooke mumbled. “This poor system can’t work for four floors. The generators won’t work either.”

Her eyes were slowly getting used to the darkness, so she could see the faint silhouette of her friend. “Okay, Miss I know everything, then what are we gonna do?” Nina asked, trying to find the door knob by touching. Brooke stopped to think for a second. An overload on the system couldn’t have burned the whole shit immediately, she thought. There must be a temporary solution.  


“Should I call the electricians?” Brooke bit her finger nervously as she always does when she thinks hardly, and kept her silence. There should’ve been something easier to do, because they needed to start working immediately to finish the launching work on time, and they had zero time to wait for electricians trying to survive the LA traffic. 

“Where is the battery master switch?” She asked to her friend as if she could know. Probably the fuse blew out, let me check.”

Nina reached to her phone from her jacket’s pocket and tried to find the stupidly confusing plan of the building in her mail box. It took her a while to find the thing Brooke had asked for. “Here, I got it.” She snapped her finger. “It’s in the logistic manager’s office. Twentieth floor, the room at the end of the corridors. Should I send someone to fix it?” Brooke rolled her sleeves and took Nina’s phone to see the plan. Yeah, that was looking easy to find. “No. I won’t let them fuck up anything else today. I’ll turn them on by myself. Wait here and don’t let anybody leave from taking an advantage, or they’re fired.” Nina opened her mouth to say something, but Brooke left her room without listening.  


The building was so calm, only her heel clacks were echoing in the floor when she walked through the stairs. Everybody knew that Brooke hated unnecessary panic and noises, so since they were in a very nervous situation already, all the workers were waiting for them to solve it silently.

Brooke ran through two floors quickly and with every step she was hearing the loud conversations better and better. So finding her way wasn’t hard at all. When she arrived to the right floor, she could see better thanks to the phone flashes everybody lighted in a hurry. So she made her way easily to the end of the hallway. A quiet talk was coming from the office. That must be the logistic manager, she thought. And wished for them to be a good person. Maybe they could get on well if so, since she was gonna hire them. 

“Kiki, hand me something from my desk-“ she heard. Who the hell was Kiki? She was hardly seeing a feminine silhouette on a chair, so she narrowed her eyes and tried to see better. “I can’t reach.” They clearly needed help, she thought, and walked closer to give some. But at the moment she came under the lid, she heard a ruffle, and a scream afterwards. Luckily, she was there, and strong enough to catch the tiny body falling. “Got you,” she let out of her mouth out of control, her heart poinding fastly with adrenaline. The lights were on, but oh god, what if they would fall? 

Apparently she wasn’t the only one who was freaking out. The body in her arms was literally shaking. Then they both got their pieces together in a moment, Brooke hold them tighter, they took the hair strands off her face, and their eyes met. “Oh my god,” they whispered with fear. “Oh my god...” Yeah, oh my god, she also thought. There was the prettiest face she had ever seen in her life. She eyed them better while their chest was still heaving fastly. Their face was structured perfectly with highlighted cheekbones, a gorgeous little nose and pretty big eyes. Those browns were shining with feelings, just like the lively look of the rest of their face. Those lips were there to kiss, for sure. They were inhuman, Brooke thought. And if they were an angel, oh, I’d work for the best ticket of the heaven.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Brooke Lynn Hytes,” the woman put out a hand to greet formally. “CEO of the Hytes shoe brand. And you?” Vanessa grabbed her hand and shaked slowly, but they couldn’t drive them apart, again. It was like their skins were meant to be together, and she knew that Miss Brooke Lynn was feeling that too. “Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, she/her.” She smiled faintly. “Logistic Manager.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments and kudos angel, I hope you enjoy this chapter too.

It’s been a wild day, Vanessa thought.

They were still in the same position after a whole ass minute, none of them was willing to separate their bodies from each other as if they were created to be a whole. She was blinking with astonishment, and the woman was watching her with very, very deep eyes. She almost felt naked under that gaze.

“So-sorry.” She couldn’t stay like that anymore when her mind got clearer and she came back to real life. And came down from her arms. Why the fuck she was stuttering? “Thank you so, so much,” She smiled with a relief taking over her body and put her hands on her blushed cheeks to hide them. “I was being clumsy.” The blondie in front of her still wasn’t talking, so she had a chance to gaze her from head to foot. “It’s alright.” She mumbled. That must be her, Vanessa thought. There’s no way I could forget a face like this. 

She was looking so flawless, yet so serious, there were no possibilities for Vanessa to read her emotions. And that left Vanessa on shook, because normally she would understand what the others were thinking just by a single look. What a closed box you are, she gulped with the idea of that. Now I wonder what’s inside.

“Brooke Lynn Hytes,” the woman put out a hand to greet formally. “CEO of the Hytes shoe brand. And you?” Vanessa grabbed her hand and shaked slowly, but they couldn’t drive them apart, again. It was like their skins were meant to be together, and she knew that Miss Brooke Lynn was feeling that too. “Vanessa Vanjie Mateo, she/her.” She smiled faintly. “Logistic Manager.”

After the last words left her mouth, she saw the blondie smiling for the first time. It was so bright, almost blinding, she couldn’t help but grew her smile wider, and pulled her hand back. “It’s really nice to meet you. Welcome to the plaza, hope everything is going alright about the new office.”

Who am I, she was asking to herself. She was supposed to be acting like an ice cube because all this bitch has done was being an ass since they had arrived, but now she was feeling under a spell or something. She must be a witch or something, she thought. Yeah, she was definetely the fucking wicked witch of the North.

“It’s been really tough, actually. Won’t you sit?” She ordered. It was clear that she wanted to talk. And who was Vanessa to resist? “You have a minute?”

Vanessa nodded, and sat onto her chair she dragged back to the place. She was waiting for her to get one of the visitor chairs, but she walked closer instead and sit onto Vanessa’s desk, her amazing navy suit serving her pretty ass perfectly. It was truly, truly distracting.“This is a good coincidence actually, because I was gonna send my assistant to talk to you,” She said, and reached Vanessa’s pen rack, grabbing her cherry chapstick with her long fingers. Vanessa was trying so hard to focus on the talk they were having.

“Okay, so the thing is; my logistics manager resigned yesterday, and I need a new one.” She tucked a blonde strand behind her ear, Jesus, she was clearly flirting. “And I’ve heard that you’re pretty good at keeping the things on track.”

Vanessa knew where the words were going, but she was literally feeling in another universe when the woman opened ‘her’ fucking chapstick, and brought it closer to her plump lips. “I wonder if we can talk to your boss and hire your clever mind for both of our companies.” She stopped for a second and drove the chapstick all over her lower lip, driving Vanessa crazy at the same time. She was brave, so brave. “Because you know, we’re kind of partners now since you’ll be selling my designs on your website, so we can get things done easily that way...”

Yeah, that was a good idea and yada-yada-yada- but holy shit, she was still driving that colored chapstick all over her lips and it was so hard to focus. She was creating a mess on her chair. “Sure.” Vanessa gulped, she didn’t even realise that she accepted a heavy work on her until the word left her mouth. She was sitting against an unbelievably wise tease, who’s clearly a professional manipulator. She knew what she was doing, and just like that, she had her right into her palm. She suddenly felt weak, and normally, she would be the one who makes the workers shake with fear and respect. The tables were turning.

“Great! Then a deal it is!” Brooke served another huge grin, and threw the chapstick back into the pen rack, while pressing her lips together. “I’m gonna talk to Jaida and make it sure that you’re also gonna get a good raise for your hardwork.” Shit, she was nice and powerful too, Vanessa’s heart was screaming. Her eyes was still locked on Brooke when she came down from the table with a little wink. “We’ll talk later, then. My assistant will mail you the contracts.” Vanessa nodded, so she kept the words going. “Oh! And I’m putting a partnership meeting for tomorrow, 2 PM. Be careful and don’t fall from anywhere until then.”

Vanessa turned back to check her schedule and opened her mouth to share her realization, but she was already gone. “But... but... we’re getting deliveries tomorrow. Oh shit.” She whispered to herself. She could handle two jobs maybe, but now she had to find a replacement for tomorrow to go check the storage instead of herself.

She buried her face into her desk and screamed into her hands with panic. Good thing, she always knew (!) how to say no.

***

“So, this is the plan.” Vanessa slowly hit the table to show that she was done. “We’re taking a night shift and starting tomorrow, because otherwise this system is gonna cause so much trouble.” Everybody nodded with agreement. Her boss, Jaida was looking at her with an approving face, so she was relieved while continuing. She’d already knew that she was really good at her work, and she knew that she wasn’t gonna stumble this time either.

“I split the payment with the help of Miss West and A’keria, so you can be pretty sure that the finances won’t be a struggle for neither of us. Everything clear?” She bit the back of her pen while waiting for an answer, and drove her gaze all around the table to see everyone’s faces. They were quite satisfied, so was she.

“Alright, if there’s nothing you wanna ask, we can go back to work I think? I have to call the delivery service.” Vanessa made eye contact with both Brooke and Jaida to see their reactions. Jaida nodded, “Yeah, Brooke? Are you okay with it?” Brooke was serious, stone cold, until Vanessa’s eyes caught hers. But she smirked after that, and released the butterflies into Vanessa’s stomach with her words. “Good job, Vanessa,” she said. “You all can go back to work. Nina, you’re staying.”

Everybody grabbed their files and tools quickly, knowing that the unnecessary presence of them in Brooke’s office wasn’t making her so happy. Vanessa could sense that too, so she made her way to the door quickly with the others. After the last one pulled the door closed behind them, Nina stopped walking around the room and turned to Brooke with her hands on her hips. She was looking unsure, about if she should ask the question waiting between her lips or not. But apparently, she couldn’t keep it to herself anymore. “What the hell was that?” She asked, and knitted her eyebrows.

Brooke smirked as if she didn’t know, and started sketching a design on the back of a file copy. “What the hell was what, Nina?” Nina rolled hed eyes and kept watching Brooke’s hand movements. She was clearly inspired. And Nina knew her enough to get when and where she gets the inspiration from. Women was her key, and her eyes were stuck only on one all day long. “You ate her with your eyes, Brooke Lynn. I tried so hard for you to look at me but you were locked. I ‘know’ that look.”

Brooke chuckled cockily and started drawing the heel of the stiletto sketch slowly appearing on the paper. “You know? Good job Nin’, keep that knowledge to yourself then.” Nina grunted loudly and fanned herself with her hands, walking the room back and forth again, waiting for Brooke to say something countable. “We’re throwing a party, on Sunday.” Brooke said instead and added some stripes around the ankle on the paper. “For our new partnership.” Nina stopped, that tone was so clear for her. They had been working together for ten years, and been friends for more than twenty. Nina knew why she wanted that, and she wasn’t gonna let her friend ruin anything with their workers this time.

She inhaled deeply. “Okay, Brooke Lynn, I’m gonna say one thing, just one time and make it super clear, alright?” She said, with her voice raising because of her slight anger. Brooke laughed shortly, she wasn’t even taking her seriously but Nina was gonna try anyway. “Okay, spit it out.” She said. Nina came closer to the table, and looked at the sketch Brooke was working on. It was wonderful, and everybody knew that Brooke was so good at her job when she was passionate. However this time, losing a worker meant losing the half of their company, so she wouldn’t let Brooke do that. She better find a new inspiration, she thought. We’re not playing that game again.

“You are not gonna fuck that girl, Brooke.” She finally let the words out. “You hear me? You are, not gonna, fuck that girl.” She was so certain and clear, it made Brooke laugh again. 

She was always following her nose, Nina knew that this time wasn’t so different either. But she had to change it. “Brooke, I’m so serious. Find someone else to hit on. We need that girl. She’s super clever and I’m not gonna lose a worker like her, okay?” Brooke’s face was still looking the same, focused deeply on the paper so Nina tried even harder. “I can’t let you play with her and then make her run away with a broken heart. We. Need. Her.”

Brooke wrote down a title on the top of the paper, and made sure that Nina saw it too. The sketch was done, almost flawless. But the title wasn’t pleasing for Nina at all. ‘The Law of Attraction.’ As if she needed that. If Brooke wants her, she’s gonna get her, Nina thought and rubbed her face with a drained look in her eyes. “Brooke, say something.” She almost begged, and finally, she made Brooke look at her. “You know what?” Brooke snapped a finger and served a big grin to her bestie. Nina looked super hopeful for a second, but it wasn’t gonna take long for her to start grunting again. “Let’s make it a little more fun and turn it into a masquerade ball.” Nina covered her face with her hands and screamed shortly. And that was that. The conversation was closed with a clear winner.

“Fuck this. Do whatever you want, Hytes.” She spitted, and wagged her finger at Brooke. “But when you make that girl cry and resign, I won’t move a finger to find someone to save the company.”

“Deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> That was something special for sure, something that was meant to be, something that Vanessa had never wanted to end. When they parted their lips with the car horn coming from the back, Vanessa was feeling all dizzy. “You couldn’t wait, did you?” She asked between her heavy breathing. Brooke licked her lips and pressed the gas pedal without taking her eyes off Vanessa’s swelling lips.  
> “I could never wait for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter includes shameless smut & a tad bit romance, just a little caution. Get some water and hang on to your hat. Hope y’all enjoy!

“Why is she still not here?” Brooke whispered into Nina’s ear, while tracing the mouth of her wine glass with her finger. “It’s been an hour.”

She made a gesture to her assistant, who was talking and clearly flirting with the DJ, to change the music. Oh god, that loud techo was gross, she wanted to throw up.

“I don’t know, Brooke. And I don’t care. Actually, I hope she won’t come so you’ll go only fuck with your dildo tonight.” Nina said. She was still slightly mad at her because of their last argument, but Brooke was only laughing and mocking her. “I thought I ordered clearly to make sure that everybody will participate, Nina.” She took another sip of her wine, but she almost choked with it because of the person who stepped in.

Vanessa was already stealing all the light from the others with her white lace dress, showing all of her smooth back, which was making an incredible contrast with her tan. On top of that, with her honey bubble hair straightened down her waist, she looked like an angel ran away from the heaven, she couldn’t decide if she wanted to keep and draw her until the end of her life or push her to the wall and fuck until she cries.

“Vanessa, we’re here!” Jaida shouted. Luckily as the heads of the companies, they were sitting together, so Brooke didn’t even have to find a stupid excuse to go talk to them. She smirked and bit her lower lip, and immediately got pinched by her friend on the leg.

“Sorry, I’m late.” Vanessa flipped her hair back and got a quick shot from the table, and threw herself onto the leather couch, right next to Brooke. “Doing makeup is seriously a struggle for me, you gotta teach me.” She pointed Jaida, and reached for another shot while they laugh. “Easy,” Brooke grabbed her wrist softly and let her leave the shot glass. “You just arrived.” Vanessa looked right into her eyes behind her mask and pulled her wrist back slowly. “Let the girl have fun, Brooke.” Nina scolded. But it was like not only Brooke, but Vanessa was in another place now too. Poor girl, Nina thought. She had never seen Brooke keeping someone in her life more than two months. She couldn’t keep looking at them anymore, and built another conversation with Jaida and the girls. 

“Let me see that makeup then,” Brooke said, and reached to the back of Vanessa’s lace mask, untying it with a little move. When the mask fall onto her lap, Vanessa blinked softly and made Brooke smile. “Such a pretty girl.” Brooke whispered. And made Vanessa laugh. “Thank you, you’re not so bad yourself.”  


Brooke took another sip of her wine and suddenly straightened up on her place after remembering something. “Hold this for a sec, you can drink it. I’m gonna have some cocktails for us.” She handed her the wine glass and stood up.

”Sex on the Beach?” She touched Vanessa’s shoulder slightly, but the girl was looking confused. “What?” She stuttered. Everything was okay, except the club being right next to the LA beach. “Sex on the Beach? Like the cocktail? Do you like it? I’m gonna get two for us both.” Vanessa’s mouth got slightly open, she was bewildered. “Oh, yeah, sure. With ice please.” 

After Brooke left for the drinks, Vanessa threw her head back onto the couch. She would never act that stupid, now what was that? She was clearly doing it all on purpose, and Vanessa was falling for every single of them like an easy bitch. She chugged Brooke’s remaining wine, fixed the straps of her dress and grabbed her purse tightly as though she was getting her power from that. Yes, Brooke was technically her boss, but like... not actually. Since her boss in law was Jaida and they were already married to Nicky. So... Would sleeping with her be... unethical?

She was drowning into her thoughts when Brooke came back with two cocktails. “Double ice.” Brooke handed her the glass and sat back to her place with a smile. “Thank you so much,” Vanessa said and took a huge sip of her drink. “Oh god, it’s so hot in here.”

“Yeah,” Brooke mumbled, but when Vanessa turned back to her, she saw that her focus was fully on her, with her eyes locked onto her lip gotten wet with the cocktail. “It really is so hot in here.”  Vanessa licked her lips quickly but it wasn’t really helping either. They were looking into each other’s eyes, fully aware of they were gonna end up at one of their places until the end of the night. “Seriously, what are you trying to do?” Vanessa finally asked with a still face, and checked to see if the others were watching them or not. Fortunately, they were very into their own drunk talk. “What am I trying to do?” Broke chuckled when they locked their eyes together once again, and sipped her own cocktail. Vanessa shrugged, and Brooke caressed her arm slightly with the back of her finger right after that, as though she was saying don’t do that. “I’m only doing the things that you let me do so, Vanessa,” Vanessa knew that she wasn’t wrong, but she also knew that it would never happen if Brooke wouldn’t be such a tease from the very beginning.

“You’re teasing me since I fell onto your lap, Brooke. Do you think I’m stupid?” Hearing her name from her lips made Brooke smile wider. She knew that they weren’t gonna stay afar for a long time, but this wasn’t expected either. “What happened to Miss Hytes?” She asked, and chugged the rest of her drink, right before putting the empty glass onto the table and leaning onto Vanessa slightly. The others couldn’t realise that, but Vanessa was surely aware.

“It’s too long to moan,” Vanessa whispered, and leaned to Brooke just as she did, showing that she wasn’t the only one that is playing. Brooke drew her hand on Vanessa’s shoulder through her bare back, and traced it harshly with her finger. “Don’t even dare to leave marks on my back,” Vanessa said. “Or you’re gonna strut around with a hickey on your neck tomorrow.” Brooke laughed. She didn’t know that that little kitten could turn into a tiger, but there she was, and she was loving it even more.

Now they were both getting closer and staring each other deeper with the secret touches of Brooke getting more intense, even the ones around the club could realise there was something between them. So Brooke tapped Vanessa’s back slowly. “I’m going to get my car,” she mumbled. “Be there in five.” Vanessa nodded, and melted into the little kiss Brooke had left onto her shoulder -while she was acting like reaching her purse on the couch. 

After she left, Nina stared at her with a weird look, Vanessa had to avert her gaze away to run away from that uncomfortable feeling. She had no idea if the others knew anything about them, but all she wanted was to be in Brooke’s arms at that moment, she couldn’t even care. 

Those five minutes went like five years, she thought, when she threw herself out of the club. The fresh air hit her face, and she immediately saw the Jeep parked in front of the building.

“Drive,” Vanessa said with a laugh when Brooke tried to kiss her as soon as she stepped into the car. “The jack is staring.” Brooke stared back at the young man looking really playfully at the car from the open window, and she winked slowly before closing the window, leaving the poor guy with a black scenery.

“Now he doesn’t.” Brooke mumbled and grabbed Vanessa’s face for a kiss, leaning over her and caressing her hair slowly with the contact of their lips. And finally, they were drinking each other with need. It wasn’t soft at all, it was just like they’ve been left hungry and thirsty for each other for years, and now the universe had let them touch. The alcohol taste was almost making Vanessa tipsy, she had to stop to take a breath for a moment. But Brooke pulled her back to herself and bit her lower lip as if she was punishing her for stopping.

That was the most tense kiss Vanessa had ever experienced, and normally she wouldn’t even remember the ones that she kissed like this. That was something special for sure, something that was meant to be, something that Vanessa had never wanted to end. When they parted their lips with the car horn coming from the back, Vanessa was feeling all dizzy. “You couldn’t wait, did you?” She asked between her heavy breathing. Brooke licked her lips and pressed the gas pedal without taking her eyes off Vanessa’s swollen lips.

“I could never wait for you.”

***

“Give me a second baby,” Brooke mumbled while her chest was heaving because of the kisses and tried to open the door, but she was the worst about finding the right key. Vanessa caressed her thighs and comforted her to do her job calmly, but it was getting more and more distracting with every touch, she cussed harshly and threw the key on the grass. “Fuck this,” Brooke spitted, and before Vanessa even figured out what was happening, she pushed her hardly to the door and grabbed her hips, making her wrap her legs around her waist. When she pressed their lips together once again, Vanessa moaned with the pain coming from her back and cut the kiss.

“Give me the key,” she whispered, but a Brooke was placing kisses on her neck instead. “You give me a reason to not fuck you right here,” Brooke said back, and bit her neck hardly. They both knew that it was gonna leave a mark.

“Brooke, please,” she moaned, and threw her head back. “We can’t stop if you start here.” The blondie listened her this time, letting her come down from her lap and open the door with her shaky hands.

Finally, they were in, and they were not alone. Two pairs of eyes were staring at them cutely. “You have cats?!” Vanessa asked with a shocked face. “I would expect you to pet a snake or something.” Brooke pushed the door close and laughed fakely. “Ha-ha, you’re so funny.” When Vanessa felt her hands on her hips, she threw her head back onto her shoulder and closed her eyes. Knowing that something seductive was gonna leave her pretty lips. “You’re wrong. I do love pussies.” Vanessa laughed loudly and turned back to see her clearly, and wrapped her arms around her neck. Finally, they were free to touch, and Vanessa could cry with the intensity of the feelings running around her veins. 

“Show me your room?” she said and caressed Brooke’s wide shoulders slowly. Brooke smiled and put a kiss onto Vanessa’s forehead. “It’s at the end of the corridor, could you find it while I get some toys?” 

“Toys?” Vanessa raised her brows and chuckled. “So we’re gonna play today. Sure thing, mami. Do you want me to get undressed?” Brooke shaked her head and tucked some of Vanessa’s hair behind her ear. “No, I’m gonna do that,” She put another kiss onto her lips and continued. “Do whatever you want until then, you can use my bathroom too.”

Vanessa nodded and escaped herself from her arms to find her room. It wasn’t so hard to do, since it was the biggest room in the house. She felt a huge amount of relief filling inside her body, when she smelled Brooke’s perfume all around the room. It was all decorated with black and white, and the plain design was making Vanessa feel calmer. I could live in here, Vanessa thought. Rich bitch.

She touched the satin black bedsheets with satisfaction, they were her favorite, so they had something in common. She turned back and looked at herself on the mirror covering the whole mirror afterwards, and chuckled at her own reflection. She was oozing sex. Her hair was messed up, lips swollen, and her lipstick was half gone, so messed up. She tried to fix her lipstick with the back of her hands while Brooke’s heels’ sounds were getting closer. “You don’t need to do that,” Brooke got into the room and threw the stuff in her arms onto the bed. “You already look so pretty.”

When Vanessa saw the huge dildo and harness, she gulped hardly. She was so bad at keeping her eyes off them. “Do you think I can take this in?” She asked and laughed. “I can’t even take a fist.” Brooke came closer and grabbed Vanessa’s face with a faint smile on her lips.

She really was an angel, Brooke didn’t know how to touch her without hurting. She was afraid of breaking her, as if she was a porcelain doll. “Then we won’t use it baby,” she whispered. “I’m not gonna do anything you don’t like. Just say stop, alright?” Vanessa nodded and asserted her gaze, suddenly she was shy to look into her eyes. “Look at me,”Brooke reached to Vanessa’s dress zipper and pulled it down. And made the girl keep the eye contact with her. “Such a pretty angel, all mine tonight. Aren’t I a lucky woman?” Brooke said when her dress hit the floor, and sent a shiver down Vanessa’s spine. “Lay onto the bed and wait for me to get undressed,” she ordered. Of course, she was taking the lead in bed too, who was her to get surprised?

But luckily, Vanessa loved bottoming, especially if a powerful woman like her was on top of her. 

“May I undress you?” Vanessa asked, and tried to reach Brooke’s satin dress, but she held herself back. “Do the thing I’ve told you now, or I’m not gonna touch you until you beg, Vanessa.” Vanessa’s mouth went wide open, what a mood shift that was. Of course, she wasn’t only a top. She should’ve understood when she saw the leather harness even before. Vanessa couldn’t even ask for more for that night, her legs suddenly got weak, even if she haven’t even touched her a finger yet. So laying onto the bed sounded well at that moment. She shut her little mouth to get rewarded, climbed and crawled on the bed, and started watching Brooke calmly.

She took off her dress and threw it on the other side of the room, knowing full well Vanessa was watching her. Now in her black lingerie set, she was leaving Vanessa breathless. “Please,” she whispered. “Please let me touch.” It was getting painful for her to wait, when the other girl was wearing the strap on and tightening the harness around her waist as slow as she could. She saw Brooke smirking while making her long blondes into a bun. 

“Good girl, patiently waiting for me,” Brooke finally talked to her, crawling closer to Vanessa on bed. “Do you want me to touch you?” She asked, and made Vanessa nod as fast as she could. Brooke laughed. “You can talk, baby. But use your manners.” Vanessa looked right into her eyes with a questioning look. “What am I supposed to call you?” She whispered weakly, when Brooke started caressing her half naked body. “Whatever you wanna call me...”

Brooke put a kiss on her breast and freed her from her bra with a little move, throwing it right next to her own black dress. Vanessa wanted to die looking at the contrast that red and black had created. But Brooke grabbed her chin, and made her look at her face again. “I said look at me, didn’t I, baby?” mumbled, and blew some cold air on her stomach, making her shiver once again. “Yes, mommy,” she whined desperately and made Brooke chuckle. Even Vanessa couldn’t believe the word that left her mouth, but the woman on top of her was looking quite satisfied.

“Then mommy it is, you little whore.” Vanessa nodded again, and licked her dried lips. “How do you want me to touch you now?” Brooke asked and pushed herself closer to Vanessa, making the toy slide between her legs, and made Vanessa moan loudly. “I-“ Vanessa stuttered, trying to gather her words, trying to find what she really wants. “I want you inside.” She said and made Brooke smile purely, earning a soft kiss after that. “Talk to me openly, angel. I wanna hear that.” Vanessa was about to lose it when she heard the pet name, throwing her head back after pressing her legs together and pulling the toy closer to her spot. Brooke laughed and pulled herself back. “Not until you ask for it.” Vanessa whined and moved on the bed uncomfortably, she needed to feel that fucking piece of rubber inside her, and this tease was only making it harder. She reached her bottom and pulled her red thong aside, waiting Brooke to do something after her words. “I want you to fuck me, Brooke, and I swear to god if you make me wai- fuck!”

When she felt the dildo completely slide inside her, she was so sure that all the neighborhood heard her scream. “I fucking said I can’t take it, bitch, slow down,” Vanessa moaned. And felt Brooke’s fingers around her neck right after, giving her a little approval with a nod. She was loving that. “And ‘I’ told you to use your fucking manners, but look at the nerve, cussing at mommy with such a rude attitude.”

When she started thrusting fastly, Vanessa was about to cry because of the mixture of pain and pleasure, and Brooke wasn’t willing to let her throat. “Apologize.” She said, and hit into her once again. “Apologize for being a rude one.” Vanessa was getting used to the size of the toy, and she was so close, there was no way for her to build an apology up. “I- fuck-“ Brooke tightened her fingers, and kept thrusting even harder. She could do it, she had to do it otherwise Brooke wouldn’t let her finish, she knew that. “I-“ Vanessa bit her lips and tried to focus onto her mouth instead of the pleasure. “I’m sorry, I-“ Brooke released her throat, and let her breathe better. “Now ask for it,” Vanessa was so close, she was gonna lose her mind. “Please let me come, mommy, please, pretty please, ple-“ she felt Brooke’s thumb rubbing her spot and held her breath uncontrollably. She was still hitting and rubbing and she was there, there. “Fuck-“ Vanessa moaned and started shaking uncontrollably, while Brooke was pressing her legs back in place, helping her get over the aftershocks.

“Take it off, take it off,” the girl repeated with her shaky voice, waiting for Brooke to make her some space. Brooke took it away and cleaned the toy with her fingers, then licked them, keeping the eye contact with Vanessa’s satisfied face. “I think you can take like... five more,” she said afterwards, biting her index finger with the seductive look on her face. “But no toys, no manners, only my tongue this time.”

Vanessa laughed, and hardly straightened up on the bed, but happily with the pleasure of being able to touch her just as she wanted, and grabbed her face. She really wanted to see that what else she could do, huh?

Meanwhile, Brooke was smiling and gazing her like she was the prettiest thing in the world. She was making her feel like the prettiest thing in the world. She never wanted to leave that house. I could live on her shoulder, she thought. Like a bird, or a ball of light.  


She closed her eyes after feeling the blondie’s hands around her waist, slowly kissed her own taste off her lips and murmured right before pushing Brooke to the bed and climbing on top of her. “Yeah,” she smiled into the kiss. “Only if I don’t make you come five times before.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> First, she wasn’t so used to waking up in a Notebook experience coming out of nowhere. Second, Brooke was the prettiest-kindest-hottest human being she had ever slept with. And third, she never have had someone who cares about her except a couple friends. Even her family wasn’t there. But now... she felt like, family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My favorite episodes are on their way so add your bookmarks and stay tuned angel. This one was bitter-sweet to write but I love how pure Vanessa feels. Hope you like it.

The sun was hardly lighting the room when Vanessa opened her eyes on Brooke’s bare chest. She smiled and rubbed her eyes as the memories slowly started taking over her mind.  It was by far one of the longest and most passionate nights of her life, and she felt so good, it was almost unreal. 

She took some time to inhale her pretty smell and analyze the night before getting up.  She had thought of asking for her perfume name, until she realised it was her own smell mixed with the fragrance. It was unique. Just for her. Just as the other things she had in her life.  


After the night, she knew that why she was looking so cold and closed. She was truly a gift, that has to be protected from evil, she thought. And now she felt so special, while her words from the night echoing in her mind. It was like another person popped out of that flawless body and not just had the best sex, also ‘made love’ with her.

They also have had a chance to talk casually before going to sleep, while Brooke was caressing her hair and it was so pure, she wanted her hands on her strands again, she was craving. 

Well, she knew more about her now and it was making her get hungry for more. She learned about her family; her age, her birthday, even her birth time; her favorite place to visit... Except her past. She didn’t know if there was anyone before, not that she cared much. But she was wondering anyway. Without a doubt there were still countless things to discover in that ice covered mind, she was claiming them all as if she was in a treasure hunt, asking, begging for more to learn and then earn.

Like, she was go good at making her feel as though she was the only girl in the world with her touches. She knew that it wasn’t something big, but she was also being so careful on her, and Vanessa was diving more and more into her with every touch. That was insane. First, she wasn’t so used to waking up in a Notebook experience coming out of nowhere. Second, Brooke was the prettiest-kindest-hottest human being she had ever slept with. And third, she never have had someone who cares about her except a couple friends. Even her family wasn’t there. But now... she felt like, family. 

It was crazy to think after some hours, but if only she could record all those words into a tape to listen again and again.

She had no idea if they could make some things happen, but if that version of Brooke at night was fully sober, they might have had a chance.

They had even talked about the job, their first encountering, the partnership meetings, stupid facts about each other... Many more things that left her mind with the flow. Not like a conversation Vanessa would have with a one night stand. But she was an artist in the end, a mind full of absurd thoughts, different perspectives and all that. So she wasn’t able to make it quite sure either. All she had known that she had slept so relaxed even if short, she was hardly feeling her muscle pain coming slightly from her body.

Now, she knew that Brooke would like a good sleep after sex, and it was monday, so the company could wait for her to cause a quite stir with her coldness.

So she tried so hard to not wake Brooke up while getting up and covered the blonde’s body with the sheets after coming down from bed. She was even trying to yawn quietly while stretching her body. 

She looked at Brooke then, sleeping all pure, just like a baby, and whispered with a smile reflecting to her voice, “Good morning, sunshine.”

She opened Brooke’s drawers quietly and her eyes suddenly hit an oversized band tees, and she tried so hard to not to scream because of that. Even thinking Brooke in that shirt was making her heart beat fast. As if businesswoman and dominatrix Brookes weren’t enough, now she had to deal with this hot shit. She was so excited to dig and find more abot her. But maybe another time. 

She put the t-shirt on. Luckily she was tiny, so it was just in the right size to cover her ass, so she wouldn’t have to wear that uncomfortable lace dress again. She closed the drawers as carefully, and got into the bathroom to do some routines. Hope she had a new toothbrush, she thought while closing the door behind her.

After ten minutes of cleaning, she finally left the room on her tiptoes. Then she saw the kittens playing with some toys around the hallway, her heart literally melted and dripped into her hands. They both looked adorable, two pretty boys, one gray and the other brown with fluffy fur, and she only have had a chance to take some care of them both. After half an hour of playing quietly and having a quality time with the cats, she made her way to the living room. Afterwards, she stepped into the open kitchen she had never seen because they didn’t leave the bed all night, staring around slightly.   


Maybe she should’ve prepared a breakfast? No shit. That would be so extra. Who were they? A couple? Vanessa would prefer to take it easy, take it slow. And a control freak like Brooke would probably feed herself with the healthiest food, so she quickly passed that option. But she could make some coffee instead. Black. Good to wake up after a long night.

She found the coffee machine and some cups, that must’ve been enough to do so, she thought and set the machine ready. Literally, everything in that home was fancy. That coffee machine, they could use it on Starbucks and nobody would notice. She knew that Brooke had good money, she wasn’t so bad herself either, but it was too much for literally anyone. No wonder she was so into her comfort.

After the coffees were ready, she grabbed both carefully to go back to room. Nothing would make Vanessa feel better than waking up with a fresh filter smell, and Brooke better like it too. Because she was getting bored, and walking around the home alone was making her feel weird. 

She brought the coffee closer to her nose carefully, and whispered. “Rise and shine, angel. It’s getting late.” Brooke knitted her eyebrows like a child and made Vanessa smile. “Did you make coffee?” That smell was the thing that woke her up clearly, when she opened her eyes to the black coffee cup. “Thank god,” she straightened up on the bed and took a sip of her hot coffee. Vanessa was enjoying hers, leaned back to the mirror. 

“How did you sleep?” She asked to make her awake a little bit more, and grabbed her warm cup with both of her hands while waiting for and answer. 

“Like a baby,” Brooke said and rubbed her face. “When did you wake up?” 

“It’s been an hour or so. Didn’t want to wake you up, you deserved to have some rest.”

Brooke’s eyes were opening better with every word and every sip of coffee she was having, a little smile appeared on Vanessa’s face because of that cuteness. She pulled the sheets over her and covered her breast. “Yeah, thanks.” She mumbled and threw her head back.

“How late?” She asked and tousled her hair. “It must be ten or something... so we’re late like two hours?” Vanessa said. She didn’t care making her schedule a little bit tighter to have some more time with Brooke, but the other woman was looking so ready to go when she got up from the bed. “I gotta finish the design examples today,” she grunted. “Let’s hope that I’ll be on time.”   


Vanessa took a deep breathe when she clearly realised that that attitude wasn’t the same with the woman talking to her at night. She was stone cold again, and it was quite concerning. “Everything alright?” Vanessa asked. And put her cup onto the drawer to get closer to Brooke. She was preparing her outfit for that day. A red suit, to die for. 

“Yeah, why?” Brooke asked just to be asking, and opened the bathroom door after putting a short, simple kiss onto Vanessa’s lips. “Can you call yourself an uber when I take a shower? I gotta hurry.” And that was that. She left Vanessa standing like a fool at the center of the room, the rage mixing into her blood in a second, making her laugh with anger. She rubbed her face and inhaled loudly while getting her stuff off the floor. She was trying her best to keep herself calm because even though it was unexpected, she wasn’t so dissapointed. She shouldn’t have been. She just had to realise that, apparently the bitch was still a bitch even when you think that you had the best night together.

*** 

The work was so silent on that day. The party seemed to fuck everybody up, including her (and excluding the night) because they were all hangover, so no one was willing to talk because of the remaining headache, just casually doing their work. Vanessa was relieved. The last thing she wanted to do was dealing with the unnecessary problems of her coworkers after literally just being kicked out of a possible perfect relationship. The more she was thinking about it, the more she was getting mad. How come that angel at the night turned into the same ice cube after a sleep, that was still a mystery for her. And all she knew was, she didn’t want to go check the new air system at the main storage with them, her including. Maybe she could send Silky and make her say Vanessa just dropped her left leg, so she couldn’t make it here or something.

When she could finally focus on the scheme of the Hytes company and started to draw it properly, someone stepped into the room.

“I’m gonna fuck you up for not telling me anything!” A’keria whisper screamed. “The others might be brainless, but I ain’t that. I saw you both being unnecessarily late, and bitch, I know the ‘I just got laid’ look on your face from a mile away, so don’t even dare to deny!”  Vanessa rolled her eyes at her best friend and kept working on her paper. “Vanj, you’re gonna spill all the tea, now. With the details.”

The girl knew that getting rid of A’keria until she tells everything wasn’t even an option, so she took a deep breath and spitted it all at once. It was easier to act like she didn’t care. Otherwise it was hurting a place down there, and she had no idea why.

“Okay, here’s what happened. We fucked, we fucked so unbelievably good. I came fucking five times.” She stopped and showed her five fingers, making A’keria scream. “She treated me like a princess, told me an unnecessary amount of stories after sex while smoking and playing with my damn hair... What did I forget..?” She bit her lower lip sarcastically and hit the table slightly before talking. “Oh! And in the morning, she, kicked, me, out, Kiki. So I better not hear anything about her again.”

A’keria was trying to process everything for sure, when her eyes were gazing all around the room with an open mouth. “I-“ she stuttered. “I’m so sorry boo. Fucking bitch. I knew that she wasn’t trustworthy.”  Vanessa laughed madly and went back to drawing. “Well, thank you for warning Kiki. It was very helpful.”

Her friend looked at her with an unbelievable look and raised her brows. “Yeah bitch! As if you were gonna listen to my words and don’t fuck with her to death anyway.”

She was right, she wouldn’t listen her and go to that home again. Her eyes got filled with tears. Yes, she would do the same even for a hundred times, even when she would knew that she was gonna kick her out. And that, was the hurtful part.

She wasn’t the only woman who wanted her to leave after a good sex, but sadly she was the only one doing that after making her feel like she could be ‘the one’. That was an epic dissapointment, and now she was failing at getting her out of her damn mind.

She buried her face into her hands and started sobbing right before she felt her friend’s hug around her body. “My poor girl,” A’keria said and put a kiss on top of Vanessa’s head. “Wrong person, huh?” Vanessa sniffed and wrapped her arms around her friend, pulling her even closer. “Oh, Kiki,” she whined before her crying took over her body once again.“I think I’m falling.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Why don’t you let me?” The words left her mouth almost like a whine, begging to see inside of that ice cube, just like the other night. “That’s not fair,” she said and wiped her tears away, before pushing Brooke away and escaping from her arms. “Me being this weak against you when you’re all closed. I don’t want this.” Brooke grabbed her arm behind her back and pulled her closer again. “Then why are you crying if you don’t want it?”

“Henry, be careful carrying those boxes, they’re fragile!” Vanessa ran through the hall once again and checked if all the boxes had arrived. They were already struggling about spaces, but now the storage had to manage a good ass space for the shoes too. "James, you're gonna arrange them for color. Don't just throw it away, Jesus! Get some help from the girls!" As if she wasn't struggling enough, her coworkers weren't being helpful at all, acting like they've never been there before. They shouldn't let any of y'all drink, she thought. What a mess!

She checked her watch. They were late. She knew that Jaida and their team was trying to fix some little problems but the dear Hytes company? They were for sure taking their time for nothing. Her not wanting seeing her wasn't enough, but now she had to ‘wait’ for her suffer.

When she started helping about the arrangements to distract herself from her pissed thoughts, she heard Jaida's voice coming closer. "They did a great job, worked super quick," they said. They were talking to Nina. And she... wasn't there.

"Thanks to Vanessa- oh, talking about her!" When they saw each other, younger girl made a little gesture and smiled softly after Jaida winked at her. She'd always liked her work being appreciated.

“Shall we check the system?” Nina asked impatiently, looking at Vanessa with the same weird feeling in her eyes from the last night. Oh, Vanessa bit her lips, she definetely knew. “Yeah,” she nodded with a shaky voice. Feeling all exposed. “Take your time, I’ll be here, gotta keep an eye on the deliveries, right? Hah.” She knew that she sounded so stupid, when she faked her attitude like that. Actually, she didn’t have to be a babysitter around her workers, so she had no idea why she said anything like that. She could for sure join them to talk about the new arrangements. Especially when she was already denying the wonder for the blonde bitch taking over her body. Seriously, where the hell was she?

She walked and looked around the huge storage to see if she just haven’t seen her or something. But she really wasn’t there. She even replaced some boxes as if she could be behind them. “Where the fuck is this bitch?” She whispered to herself, and hit one of the boxes madly. She didn’t want to see her, so to say... 

She probably had sent Nina instead of her, she thought and bit her index finger, it’s better for me to not see anyway.

But of course, talking of the devil, she heard a little whistle behind, clearly calling for her. And immediately turned back like a fish falling for a trap. Oh, and there she was, in her red pant-suit, serving her beautiful cleavage, long blondes curled down her shoulders. And that fucking red lipstick, she had to destroy it when she could. Vanessa knitted her eyebrows uncontrollably, and pouted. She was looking so flawless, it was ‘ridiculous’, making it even harder for Vanessa to hate her.

Brooke raised her hand and made a little gesture. “I’m here.” Vanessa exhaled loudly and made her hands into fists on her both sides. Brooke was smiling at the scenery, because how adorable she was like that.

“Fine. I wasn’t looking for you anyway, I was looking at the packages... To see... if everything... is alright.” Brooke smirked and stratched her neck slightly, trying to hide that smile. “Okay, keep looking then, here.” She pointed the boxes with her hand, and watched Vanessa biting her lips with nervousness, looking around her without knowing what to do.

“What’s this now?” She tied her hands on her chest and pouted. Brooke was still keeping the same look on her face. “Well... It’s the air conditioning system we’ve been talking about.” Brooke pointed the air, and made Vanessa grunt. “You know I’m not talking about that- I’m saying-“

“What, Vanessa?” She interrupted her cockily, waiting for a proper answer while playing with her hair. Vanessa closed her eyes, and huffed loudly. “You- you- what a bitch-“ She whispered to herself. Brooke laughed and raised her eyebrows with the words left Vanessa’s mouth, loving the little brat taking the baby’s place.

Vanessa turned her body back on her heels and tried to pass Brooke to go talk to Jaida and Nina, but the fingers wrapped around her wrist stopped her. She felt a breath hitting behind her ear and held her own. “Why are you so mad?” Brooke chuckled, and caressed her wrist slightly with her fingers. “Not that I don’t like you being like that but...” Vanessa took a deep breath, tried her best to not start screaming all her rage out.

“First of all, don’t touch me you moody bitch,” she said and pulled her hand to herself, while placing the heel of her stilettos right onto Brooke’s red bottoms, pressing it hard to hurt her, fully on purpose. Brooke bit her lips in pain, but she was still failing to hide her smirk. Fucking tease, she was liking it. “And second,” Vanessa didn’t want to give her the pleasure anymore and took her heel off her foot before fastly walking through the storage. “Leave me the fuck alone.”

Vanessa could hear her soft chuckle when she finally reached Nina and Jaida, talking about the new season launching. “For sure we’re gonna make a special launching for that, right, Vanessa?” Jaida turned her with a convincing look, she had no choice but spit some random words about the topic she had no idea on. “Yeah, we can redesign the website or something. I’ll talk to social media manager too, don’t worry. Your comaback will be epic, especially for- for Doll Hall.”

Nina smiled with a pleased look on her face and caressed her shoulder friendly. “You’re the best, Vanessa,” she said. “I think we all can have a dinner after this, right?” Vanessa’s stomach tightened with the thought of sitting on the same table with Brooke, and her brain started to work fastly. “No!” She shouted in panic. “I mean, thank you, that’s a very nice offer. But you go, I gotta finish the scheme for Miss Hytes today.” Why would she include her name into the conversation randomly? She cussed to herself internally and hoped for Nina to accept her excuse.

“You don’t have to,” a voice came closer to them. Fucking Brooke, of course, she wanted to see her suffer. “You can finish that later on. Let’s join us today.” Jaida nodded happily after Brooke’s approval and grabbed their phone to make a reservation, while Brooke was checking the place and looking for a good area to place the shoes.

“No, really, count me out. I can finish today. I was halfway there.” Jaida brought the phone to their ear and caressed Vanessa’s arm while passing her to talk to the restaurant. “Not accepted, you deserve a rest.” They said, and set the fire into Vanessa’s body after leaving the hall.

Shit, she was thinking, shit, shit, shit, I don’t wanna have a dinner with her. And she was blushing even with the thought of it. Nina looked at her in a pity and winked as though she was saying I get you, but couldn’t say it out loud for sure, since Miss Bitch was strutting all around the place to check the system and else. And holy shit, she was ethereal in that red suit. Not being able to tear it out of her and kiss her until they get breathless was driving her crazy. Oh, she just wanted to get her out of her mind, immediately. Brooke wasn’t gonna be hers ever, that was made super clear by herself, so Vanessa had to keep her dumb heart away from her. Otherwise it was gonna get super painful.

“I- I’m gonna use the bathroom,” she said and fastened her pace through the other side of the building, her heart pounding in her mouth. She wanted to have some water, or maybe wash her face, or like choke herself in the toilet or something. She was burning, and her face was all red she could bet. “Fuck this,” Vanessa hit the door behind her and placed her cold hands onto her burning cheeks. “What’s happening to you, dumbie? Just a dinner, and then you’re done.” Took a deep breathe, one more, one more... but the last one, she choked with it because of the woman walked in.

“What are you doing here?” Vanessa laid her back onto the stand, and rubbed her face. “Can you please leave me alone?” Vanessa didn’t see her, but felt her getting closer, and she was there, caging her in the stand with both arms. She took her hands off her face even if she didn’t want to do so, and their eyes immediately met. “Please?” Brooke laughed. “Suddenly we’re so nice... Okay... What are you running away from?”

Vanessa faked her laugh and averted her gaze by rolling her eyes. “Running away? Me? Hah, no. I just don’t wanna have a dinner with you, just like you couldn’t cope even with having a breakfast with me.” She turned back to her with the last sentence, and pressed her finger onto her bare chest peaking from the blazer. That made Brooke look down to her finger and chuckle. Why the hell she was still so satisfied? When Vanessa was clearly about to lose her mind? That made no sense.

“Let, me, go.” Vanessa pressed on each word carefully and tried too keep the eye contact, but Brooke didn’t seem to do so. “Nah,” she said. “I like it this way. When you’re so mad because I didn’t want you, but still going crazy with every touch of mine.” Vanessa wanted to disappear when the tears ran into her eyes. The last thing she had wanted was crying in front of her, it would be ridiculous.

“Why are you like this?” Vanessa said, voice shaking. “I can’t even get to know you. Who was the one that was making love with me, Brooke?” She whispered, finally letting all of her guards down with her tears escaping out of control.

She saw Brooke gulping, and turning her eyes away. She would never do that, she thought, that was the first time she had seen her look weak like that, but she pulled her pieces together quickly.  “Perhaps it was a mistake,” she mumbled. “You’ve seen too much of me.” Vanessa laughed with anger while the tears kept running down her face.

“Why don’t you let me?” The words left her mouth almost like a whine, begging to see inside of that ice cube, just like the other night. “That’s not fair,” she said and wiped her tears away, before pushing Brooke away and escaping from her arms. “Me being this weak against you when you’re all closed. I don’t want this.” Brooke grabbed her arm behind her back and pulled her closer again. “Then why are you crying if you don’t want it?” Brooke asked, eyes narrowed, trying to see even more of Vanessa, as if she wasn’t there with her whole real being.

“Don’t. Play. With me. Brooke.” She made it sure that every word was clear, and gulped hardly before shutting the door behind her with her certain words. “I just wanna be able to work like two usual coworkers.”

When she passed Nina as fast as she can and threw herself out of the bulding, her tears weren’t stopping, and she had no idea why. She was so mad, almost boiling. And normally, it wasn’t so easy to ruin Vanessa. But one word of Brooke was enough, that wasn’t fair. That wasn’t fair at all. She didn’t deserve to be treated like that.

***

“You know what?” Nina said while driving the car to the restaurant, “You don’t deserve shit, Brooke. You don’t deserve shit.” Brooke rolled her eyes and kept sipping her water casually on the backseat, checking her schedule on her iPad at the same time. “Yeah, Nin’ thank you.”

Nina’d been scolding her since they got into the car, and Brooke knew that she wasn’t gonna stop for the next twenty minutes either. “I don’t even know what have you done to her, but she looked like a wreck, Brooke. Not like the others. What are you trying to do?” Nina looked at the backseats in the mirror, catching Brooke’s greens easily. “Nothing,” Brooke said. But that question really made her think for a moment. “I think I just, let it go too much... Gave her too much about myself.” Nina laughed with anger and turned back to the way. “Good fucking job, Hytes. Good fucking job.”

When Brooke didn’t said anything back, the only thing being heard was their heavybreathing in the car. But Brooke’s mind wasn’t shutting up either. “I slept with her.” She spitted in a breath. She couldn’t keep it in anymore. “Let her use my own bathroom, play with my cats, make me coffee... And I talked to her, about anything and everything. Shit. She literally fell asleep in my arms, Nina.”

With the end of her sentence, Nina immediately put on the brakes, and they flight forward. Luckily, the road was empty, otherwise they would hit well on them from the back. “What the fuck, watch the road!” Brooke shouted when Nina kept driving.“What the fuck to you! Did you lose your mind? Since when you’re treating like that to your hookups? You don’t even let ‘me’ use your personal bathroom!”

Now they were both shouting and screaming at each other, and Nina was so far away from being Team Brooke, apparently. “I don’t know!” Brooke screamed. “She was just... different. I wanted her more to myself. It was blinding, Nina, I swear to god-” Her voice got lower as she talked.

Nina’s mouth was going wider and wider with every word, and Brooke was realising the shit she’d got into when she heard every single of them out loud. “I realised what the fuck was I’m doing in the morning, when she woke me up with a fresh fucking filter, with my AC/DC tees on her. Oh god, what have I done-“

Nina grunted loudly and tried to keep herself calm. If they wanted to make this situation better, fighting wasn’t gonna help. She closed her eyes for a sec, and opened for a calmer sight. “Brooke,” she talked softly. “I’m gonna ask you one thing, honey,” Brooke was rubbing her temples nervously. Nina kept herself back so hard from saying ‘you fucking deserved that migraine.’

“Are you just playing with her?” Brooke caught Nina’s gaze in the mirror, but couldn’t stare for long. “I don’t know,” She mumbled. “She was flawless, so pure, so funny, so careful. I’ve never felt like it before, she’s just... so fragile. I feel like I can break her in any moment. Fuck- I don’t know how to treat her right Nina.”

Of course, you wouldn’t, Nina thought. They’ve been best friends for decades, but she had never seen Brooke bring someone to her as her girlfriend or boyfriend.

She was the best at sex, as good when it comes to attracting someone with her romantic words, but the worst at keeping the things going. But even Nina could see that this was different. And she didn’t know if she should’ve felt concerned or be happy for her improvement, because even Brooke wasn’t sure of herself this time.

Normally, things would all go the same. She would feel attracted to someone, feed her inspiration with them, get into their mind, and fuck. Afterwards things wouldn’t go so different either. The girls wouldn’t wait for more, they would call her for some weeks to get some more, or they would simply leave with tears coming down their faces. But that was all. Not a single of them was like this. Brooke would never try on someone after getting them. She was such a cocky bitch from the outside, she would never run after anyone. Ever. 

Until Vanessa.

Nina was clearly seeing that Brooke enjoyed being with her. But the thing was different. Was she willing to go further, or even more... was she really liking her? Could that finally be happening after thirty for years of her ice covered life? She wasn’t so sure. That was still looking so far away from Brooke’s being. All she could think of was, she wasn’t gonna let her ruin Vanessa’s life.

“Do you like her?” Nina suddenly asked, gulping after the question hit the walls of the car and came back to her ears. 

There was the death silence. Brooke was thinking, thinking so hard on her. On Vanessa. Thinking about every minute they’ve spent together. And she was getting surprised, because oh god, non of them words she had said was forced or fake. She was so used to being trapped in a perfection box, she didn’t even remember what was she really like when she would be with her loved ones. 

“I do,” she said, and raised her gaze upon Nina’s once again, and caught her smile while biting her lips. “Holy shit. I really like her.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Do I make you upset?” Brooke repeated, and reached Vanessa’s hair, caressing a hair strand with the back of her finger, sending a shiver down the girl’s spine. “Because I don’t want to. I swear. How I hate to see you like this...”

Nina, Jaida and Nicky were chatting casually while the other two were sitting on their chairs with a deadly silence. Brooke was torturing her lips, she could bet that she had eaten half of her lipstick. She ate some more of her salad instead of ruining her makeup any more, and looked at Vanessa’s plate. It was so clear that she didn’t even take a bite from her pasta. She swallowed her food with the cold concern flowing down her back, and put her free hand onto Vanessa’s knee softly under the table. But the girl pulled her leg back and made it certain that she didn’t want it. 

“Why aren’t you eating?” Brooke whispered into her ear, and looked at her unsatisfied face. Her eyes were still slightly swollen, and she had to wipe off all of her makeup because of her tears ruining it, however, she was still looking angelic, Brooke thought. 

“Why do you care?” Brooke pulled herself back and exhaled, of course she was gonna clap back like that. She kept watching her playing with her food for a while, yeah, she wasn’t gonna touch that. And it was making Brooke quite concerned. “‘Ness, are you gonna eat it or do I have to feed you myself? You look pale.” Vanessa smiled fakely for a second and changed her face into an angry one right after. “Yeah, I haven’t eaten all day. Because a fucking cunt kicked me out of her house beforewe had a breakfast. And now I have zero apetite.” Brooke took another deep breath and rubbed her face while leaning back on her chair. 

Jaida turned to her with a concerned look. “Brooke, is everything alright?” Brooke nodded slowly and pretended to rubbing her head. “Yeah,” she said. “Just migraines. Don’t you bother, Vanessa is taking care of me.” After she distracted Jaida with her last words, the younger girl kicked her foot under the table. “Don’t talk instead of me,” she whispered between her teeth. 

“Then eat your food,” Brooke said and reached Vanessa’s hand to take her fork into her mouth. She tried to get her hand back, madly, and caught the others’ attention on the table again. “Hah!” She faked. “You’re so funny, Brooke! Such a good story.” 

Oh god, Vanessa thought, I can’t wait to get out of this restaurant and fuck the shit out of her because of these. 

When she could finally take her hand back to herself, she kicked Brooke’s leg one more time, harder. “I swear to god, Brooke Lynn, if you ever try to touch me without my permission again, I’m gonna fucking sue you and take your everything including your huge mansion. Don’t. Try. Me.” That made Brooke laugh loudly, she really was having fun. “There are better ways to own them all, baby,” she whispered after hardly stopping her laughter. “What about a ring?”

Vanessa grunted, she knew that Brooke was about to win that argument, and it was turning her crazy. “What about you stop mocking me and go fuck your hand instead of me?”

And that was it, end of the conversation. Vanjie: one, Brooke: zero.

Brooke clearly didn’t want to take it further and start fighting, and joined the others’ work conversation, while Vanessa kept her silence and poured herself her third glass of wine slowly. God, she really needed to pee, and her tipsyness wasn’t helping at all. 

“Vanessa, I think you should take it easy.” Nina said, she was a good observer, surely. “I don’t feel like staying sober,” she mumbled. “Could you drive me home?” She turned to Nicky, knowing that they came with a car, but Brooke, fucking Brooke interrupted them. “Not necesarry. We can drop you at home,” she said. “Let’s leave the love birds alone, huh?” That wasn’t a question, and Vanessa wasn’t in a position to say no or insist. So she smiled fakely and nodded. “Sure thing,” She said. “Let’s leave the love birds alone.”

Brooke: a hundred, Vanessa: minus five.

***

“What do you think you’re doing?!” Vanessa shouted behind Brooke Lynn, after Nicky and Jaida left.They all knew that that was gonna happen after Brooke teased her all night long, but couldn’t she wait until they get into the car? 

The blondie wasn’t paying attention though, she knew that Vanessa’s wasn’t thinking so sane at that moment. She opened the back doors for her instead, waiting for her to get into the car. “Vanessa, get into the car, you’re drunk.” She mumbled calmly. But it was only enough to make the younger girl angrier. 

“I am not drunk, I know what I’m talking about!” She took a step forward, but even that step wasn’t consistent. After drinking the wine bottle by herself, nobody would wait for her to stay sober. 

“Vanessa, come on honey, let’s take you home.” Nina asked nicely after she saw Brooke failing, hoped for her to accept the offer. Vanessa’s mind was working unbalanced, her feelings for Brooke going back and forth. She swallowed hardly, and tossed her hair while trying to put her thoughts into an order. Oh god, she was feeling dizzy, and also sick. Shit, she thought, keep it in, please keep it in.

“I can call an uber Miss Nin-,” she said, and covered her mouth after a gag took over her body. She was about to throw up all the alcohol out. There was no way to get into the car like that.

Brooke immediately ran behind her to hold her, when she folded in half with constant pain. “You can’t call a fucking uber like this,” she said, slightly scolding her like a child, and held her soft hair off her face to make her some space. Vanessa’s eyes were tearing out more with every gag leaving her mouth. “Take it out if you need to, come on,” Brooke said, and grabbed her waist, helping her to bend down.

Vanessa hated throwing up, she was always crying everytime she does so, and she was already at her limit of crying on that day. “Don’t hold yourself, Vanessa, take it out,” and that was that. She caressed her belly as Vanessa lets everything in her stomach out of the parking lot floor. It was ridiculous, throwing up in front of Brooke Lynn, she was the worst when she gets drunk. But the woman holding her didn’t seem to care much, looked pretty much concerned instead.

Nina reached them with a fresh bottle of water and tissue after she was done, and when their eyes met with Brooke, the blondie knew that she was so pissed. Pissed at her for ruining the girl like that. She gulped with guilt, and helped Vanessa straighten up, they both knew that an argument was about to happen after dropping Vanessa. But that could wait. “Here,” Brooke said, and grabbed Vanessa’s chin. She was too worn out to resist. “Look at me.” After cleaning her mouth, she helped her drink some water to get rid of the ridiculous taste of gall. Brooke had been there, and seeing Vanessa so vulnerable like that wasn’t pleasing at all. Because she was crying like a baby as she sips the water, and she looked so, so pure, Brooke wanted to punch herself. Good job, fucker, she thought. Very nice of you to let her get drunk like this.

After a couple minutes of taking some fresh air, they could finally get Vanessa into the car, because even she knew that going alone wasn’t even a choice after that point. She was actually shaking with every step she takes, so someone helping her to get into the house would be nice.

“Don’t touch me,” she murmured when Brooke reached her cheek. 

She was still at the same point even with her foggy mind. So Brooke gave up, freed her, and rested her chin on her hand, while watching outside. She was clearly thinking, thinking super hard.

“Where’s your place?” Nina asked to Vanessa, looking at her in the mirror. Apparently -and luckily- Brooke wasn’t trying anymore, so maybe they could have a little chat. She tried her best to make her smile with her jokes as Vanessa gave the directions, and it was almost working, until fucking Brooke had decided to stop thinking and ask the first thing coming her mind. 

“Vanessa,” she interrupted Nina’s little business trip story and suddenly asked, they were all so silent after that. The younger girl’s mind was hardly clear, so she had no idea what was about to leave those pretty lips. Pretty lips, pretty, pretty lips... That was the only thing she could focus as she talked.

“Do I make you upset?”

Death silence. Nina gulped, finding Brooke’s silhouette in the mirror. She was looking quite uncomfortable too. And Vanessa... she was just a confused drunk mess.

“Huh?” Vanessa asked, with a weird look on her face. She really was trying her best to keep up. The topic was so out of context, even Nina took her time to pull the words together. 

“Do I make you upset?” Brooke repeated, and reached Vanessa’s hair, caressing a hair strand with the back of her finger, sending a shiver down the girl’s spine. “Because I don’t want to. I swear. How I hate to see you like this...” Nina bit her lips. That was the only moment she had ever seen Brooke talking like that in her entire life. And in that second, she knew that Vanessa was different, so different for her. The universe was doing it’s job, apparently. And the thing she saw in her friend’s eyes was so deep, she could almost, almost call it love. Oh my god, she thought, she really could be the one.

“What?” Vanessa asked again. They both knew that this time she got what Brooke said, but escaping from answering instead.

A strange thing it was for her, she would never run away from a talk.

Everytime she steps into a room she would make a fun coversation immediately. She would shine as bright as the sun, would work as good, that was why everybody in the business were running after her to hire. She really could be a ray of sunshine, even Brooke was thinking. But somebody had clearly stolen her shine that day, and that was no other than Brooke herself, making her feel so guilty, it hurt her physically.

Vanessa wasn’t feeling so different either. She was failing to know herself on that day. Who was she? She wanted her energy back, and if she herself was the one who hide that energy inside if not Brooke, a relationship with Brooke could still be tolerable. But what if... she really was making her upset? And that was where she would draw the line. She would never, ever let anybody take the shine of her life out of her body, and that was why she needed to think. Think about them, think about her feelings, see some more of Brooke...

Even though she was mad, so mad, they all knew that the sparkles in her eyes when she looked at Brooke were still too bright to be ignored. And maybe, she deserved a chance. Maybe she wasn’t making fun of her, maybe she really liked her, maybe she was... able to regret?

“I- I don’t know-“ Vanessa whispered, closing her eyes shut. “I really dont know... can we- talk about this later?”

That was it. Nobody talked on that topic anymore on that day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	7. Episode 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know, I’m kinda old... You probably remember better about those high school shit but...” Vanessa put the chapstick in it’s place and knitted her eyebrows, waiting for Brooke Lynn to say something important. “When you drink with from the same cup with someone or like use the same lipstick... you kinda kiss, right? I don’t remember those crazes wrong?” Holy shit.

“Where is this damn paper?” Vanessa was walking around her office, looking under every possible object, but the scheme was gone. She was pretty sure that she left it on her table, but now she wasn’t able to find it. “Where is what, honey?” A’keria knocked the door softly, bringing a coffee and a package from a patisserie. “Oh my god, Kiki, you’re the best! How did you know?” Vanessa almost squeaked with happiness. Her head was almost cracking because of the hangover, and the only thing she needed was some food and coffee at that moment.

“I know my bestie.” A’keria winked, and put the packages on Vanessa’s table. The girl immediately opened the sack and moaned with pleasure when she saw the bagel and donuts. “What would I do without you...” She took a bite from the bagel and sipped her coffee. That was the first thing she put in her mouth, so she was blessed.

Last night was a nightmare, even though she could only remember some specific moments only. Her vomiting was still clearly there even if she wanted to forget that disaster so badly, Brooke’s little question was still ruining her thoughts too. But almost anything else was... gone.

She didn’t know if it was a good thing or bad thing. Because when she found herself on her own bed in the morning, she had no idea who had brought her in there. But that memory lost helped her to overcome the situation faster than she had expected, so she wasn’t gonna complain. She thought about acting like nothing had happened, instead. Sometimes being careless was making things much better than it could be. She took the last bite from her bagel and grabbed the doughnut. It was an amazing way to start the day.

“Have you...” Vanessa tried to swallow her bite and continued afterwards. “Have you seen the scheme I left on my desk? I was working on it yesterday when you came.” A’keria stopped scrolling down her phone and seemed to be thinking about it. “No babe, I haven’t,” she said after a couple seconds. “But they cleaned the offices yesterday. The excesses are at the storage downstairs. Text Silk maybe? She’d let you know.” Vanessa nodded and sipped her coffee.

She immediately needed that scheme for the upcoming meeting, and it wasn’t even done yet. Also there was no way she could do it from scratch. It was a long ass progress and it was hand drawn. Which meant zero copies...

“Wait,” A’keria said, “I think we found it. I’m just talking to a friend down there.”

***

“What the fuck does that mean it’s at Miss Hytes’ place, Silky! How did it even go there?” She shouted at the phone, biting her nails nervously while A’keria tried to hear the call. “How can y’all could be so distracted, oh my god. I need it right now. Call them and ask for her to bring it back, it’s super important.”

Her friend didn’t seem to listen her, telling that it has nothing to do with it. And since she was a manager, it must’ve been easier for Vanessa to find and talk to her yada-yada-yada.

“Okay, Silk, go back to your work, alright? Jesus!” She hung up, and almost hit the phone on the table. 

“Kiki, can you talk to Brooke? Please? Please do me a favor.”

“What do you wanna talk about?” 

The voice coming from the door made Vanessa jump on her chair, almost falling down. “Nothing!” She immediately screamed with panic. She didn’t want her to think that they were talking about her in their precious free times. Well... they actually were, but that wasn’t the case.

“‘Ladies, seriously, what happened?” Brooke laid back onto the glass door, serving her beautiful long legs in her mini dress. The thing was, she looked as intimidating as she looked attractive, and it was already freaking the shit out of A’keria. She could see her friend squirm on her chair uncomfortably, and she couldn’t sit anymore when Brooke Lynn tend to get closer. “Hello Miss Brooke, goodbye Miss Brooke, I was just about to leave!”

No matter how hard Vanessa tried to keep her in the office, talking between her teeth, A’keria disappeared in a second, shutting the door closed behind her. And there were just us two, Vanessa thought, what’s new? 

Younger girl rubbed her face nervously, and took a deep breath. “How can I help you?” She asked with a fake smile right after, and tried to send her back as soon as possible. Because just remembering the mess she had created last night was enough for her to not wanna see Brooke. She was so embarrassed, and still incredibly pissed. But Brooke seemed to be different. Her face looked almost softer, her gaze hitting on Vanessa was almost fragile, she blinked with a surprised face after their eyes met, and tucked some hair behind her ear. 

Brooke smiled at her sweet gesture. “What do you wanna talk about, my dear coworker?” She asked, and Vanessa’s anger levels got upper in a second. She took every nice word she had thought back. She was clearly making fun of her.

“What’s this now?” She asked. “Are you making fun of me?” Brooke scratched her neck and sit onto her desk again, and grabbed the chapstick just as she did at the first time. 

“No, I’m not,” she mumbled and opened the chapstick. “Didn’t you say that I wanna be like two usual coworkers?” Fucking bitch, Vanessa thought, and pouted. She should’ve known that she was wise enough to hit her with her own words.

“Y-yes,” she stuttered. “Yes I did, but you’re clearly mocking now!” Brooke threw her head back with a laugh, and made Vanessa’s eyes vide open as her blonde curves licked off her shoulders. A fucking goddess, clearly know what to do.

“Stop doing that.” She said, and took her chapstick off her hands when she attempted to put it on. As though the last time wasn’t enough for her, now she had decided to do it as a habit? “Stop doing what?” She asked to tease, and placed her hands on her bare knees, when she couldn’t find a thing to make herself busy. Normally, she would play with my hair, Vanessa was thinking, but now keep those hands to yourself. 

“That!” 

Brooke clearly knew what was she talking about, but she liked to see Vanessa so dizzy like that, that was for sure. She watched with a smile as Vanessa put the chapstick on her own lips, completely on purpose, but that wasn’t gonna work either.

“You know, I’m kinda old... You probably remember better about those high school shit but...” Vanessa put the chapstick in it’s place and knitted her eyebrows, waiting for Brooke Lynn to say something important. “When you drink with from the same cup with someone or like use the same lipstick... you kinda kiss, right? I don’t remember those crazes wrong?” Holy shit.

Vanessa buried her face in her hands and grunted loudly. She could remember doing that with her first girlfriend in middle school, but that surely wasn’t the case. The thing was, Brooke knew her weaknesses and interests almost better than anyone, and if not she wasn’t a great connoisseur, I must’ve shown her a lot about myself in such a short time, Vanessa was thinking.

She couldn’t help daydreaming about how a good couple they would be if Brooke would be even a little serious about them, or she wouldn’t fuck it all up in the first morning. She had been feeling like they’d known each other forever and it was meant to be, not being able to have her all for herself was starting to hurt, hurt her physically. Her chest was heaving.

She could hear Brooke’s chuckle meanwhile, but when she straightened up, she saw her watching softly instead, and got super distracted, gulping with panic as if she could hear her thoughts and dreams. They looked at each other’s eyes for a while, and for Vanessa, it was an hour, however, probably just a minute in human life. 

“W-why are you here again?” She asked and tried to cool down the tension. Also averting her gaze and tossling her hair to act like she didn’t care. But unfortunately, she was the only thing she could care about for the last couple days.

“I was just passing by,” They both knew that she wasn’t just passing by. They were working upstairs, and even though she came to visit Jaida, she didn’t have to walk through the whole hallway to find the boss’ office, which was right at the enter of the floor. “And I heard you two talking about me... So... What was that?” 

Well, that was a great opportunity to ask for the scheme properly and hopefully unproblematically. So she got into the topic straight up. She was grateful to be talking about something serious, so they didn’t have to get locked in their eyes for hours. God, that was terrifying, Vanessa could’ve kissed her if they would keep it up, and wouldn't care about anything else. 

“You know the scheme I’m working about? They cleaned the offices yesterday and it somehow got...” She gulped with the thought of that again, and continued as fast as she could. “And it somehow got into your place. Now you gotta bring it back so I can finish until tomorrow.”

“Tsk.”

“What?” Vanessa squeaked as she looked up to see if Brooke was serious -she was- she clearly had rejected her order. “What does that even mean?”

“No,” She shrugged. “I won’t bring it back.” Aren’t you a fucking tease, Brooke Lynn Hytes. Vanessa exhaled loudly and forced herself to smile again. “Okay, then send your assistant Plastique to get it. There’s no copy. I need that. Urgent.”

Brooke smirked faintly as Vanessa raised her brows, trying so hard to keep herself away from laughing this time. “No, she can’t either, she has a lot of work to do.”

Vanessa was this close to screaming her throat off, and Brooke knew that, but she was having so much fun, literally her happy was showing.

“Then how...” Vanessa closed her eye, begged for some patience and kept talking with a lowered tone, otherwise they would collect all the workers around. “Then how can I get it back?” 

“Come and get it.”

“What?!” Vanessa couldn’t keep her scream inside this time, because Brooke was one of the wisest, also hardest people she had ever met, and she was stepping on every single one of Vanessa’s nerves at that moment. “No- I mean why? Hah. Very funny. Impossible.” She laughed with anger, and flipped her har back off her shoulder, fanning herself with her hand instead. “You can bring it back easily. Why would I? Right?”

“No, I won’t,” Fucking, stubborn, tease. 

“I won’t bring it back. You can come and get it by yourself,” she repeated again, and came down from the table, fixing her black dress by patting. 

Vanessa wanted to dissapear when she heard the last words coming from her, before she closed the door on Vanessa. “Well... if you’re not a coward, of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know what?” Vanessa said, before taking another sip of her coffee to soothe her throat. “When I first came here, I really thought that we could make a good couple.” Those words were so brave of her, and they both knew that when their eyes met with full of sparkles inside. Brooke was smiling softly. “And what made you change your mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi angel. How was your day? Hope you’re doing alright. I’m interrupting here to remind that we’re getting closer to the end, and you, as a reader, will shape the rest of the story. So please, don’t hesitate to share your thoughts with me. Anything constructive or positive. I would love to communicate. Also thank you so much for keeping up, I’m very thankful for you. 
> 
> It was so fun and also hurtful writing this one. Hope you enjoy reading.

“Plastique, I’m telling you for the last time; you’re gonna give that key to me, and give it to me now.” Vanessa whisper screamed angrily, still checking the glass walls to see if Brooke had realised her strutting around their office, but luckily she was too busy with her design. 

“She would kill me,” Plastique whined. “I can’t. No way. Uh-uh.” 

Vanessa wanted to choke the girl and then get the key, still stapling some files seriously. She had been trying to get Brooke’s house key for twenty minutes, but the bitch was so loyal and enduring, it was almost impossible. She had to think of something better.

“What about a deal?” Vanessa said, and got the girl’s attention. “You give that key to me now, and I’ll convince Brooke Lynn for a raise.” Well, she didn’t know how to do that exactly, but a couple hundreds wouldn’t touch Brooke, so she could deal with it. Like... maybe just a kiss would work? Vanessa wouldn’t mind giving that either.

“Yeah, sure,” Plastique laughed loudly. “As though she accepts everything you say.” She pointed Brooke with the stapler and continued. “Look at her. She looks fire, doesn’t even smile. That bitch would never, trust me. I’ve been working for her for like three years, and she had never done something she didn’t really want to, so, no.” Yeah, Vanessa knew that too. She’d made it pretty clear that she gets what she wants, and gives everything she doesn’t want away easily, thought.

She grunted and straightened up, giving up on the assistant. It wasn’t working and she still needed that scheme in five hours to finish until morning. But apparently, she had to get the permission from the actual owner. “Ugh, okay. Never mind. Forget the raise.” She scolded, and fastened her pace through Brooke’s office to talk.

But this time, one of the workers stopped her. Seriously, what the fuck was that? An office surrounded with a hundred guardians? She was impossible to reach when she didn’t want to, Vanessa was starting to get angrier with every other obstacle cutting her way.

“Miss Hytes is busy. She’s working on the new collection, and strictly ordered us to not accept anyone. Also... do you even have an appointment?” He wrinkled her nose with dissatisfaction. Yeah, she wanted to say, I have a life long appointment from the love interest department. But she bit her lips instead, while tossling her hair with anger.

“She better not be busy, I gotta talk to her, now.” Vanessa said, and waited for the worker to get out of her way, thinking acting bossy would work. But he was huge, and still wasn’t willing to move. 

“Alright, you won’t let me.” Vanessa mumbled, and turned to Plastique again. “Plastique, can you call your dear boss, so she lets me in? Because I’m seriously being tested here.” 

Vanessa knew that Brooke would gladly accept her in, so she tied her arms on her chest, and watched the girl call Brooke Lynn.

And just like that, she got accepted, and pushed the door closed behind her, showing her reaction to the stubborn workers. “Welcome, wasn’t waiting for you,” Brooke said with a smile blooming on her face, and gazed Vanessa from head to toe while she closed all the roller blinds opening to the hall, not letting the others see them anymore. “What are you doing?” Brooke chuckled, and turned the pen between her fingers succesfully, getting Vanessa’s attention. 

The younger girl huffed with boredom, rubbing her neck slowly. “I swear to god, you’ve hired unnecessarily loyal workers, just the best for your teeth.” And that was enough to make Brooke laugh. She was clearly happy to see her. Vanessa wished for herself to feel the same way, but only things she could feel were the butterflies in her stomach and rage in her veins.

“I feel like you tried so hard to see me?” Brooke said. “Yeah, sure, sure, of course” Vanessa rolled her eyes, and walked closer to Brooke’s table, which made her stand up too, and immediately made Vanessa feel smaller under her eyes. Even her ten inch stilettos weren’t enough to make her taller than her.

“I- I just wanted to say that I need that scheme now. So please,” she emphasized the last word, blinking to make herself seem cuter, “Please send one of your workers, and give it back to me.”

Brooke smirked, and scratched her neck, just like she does everytime she feels satisfied about something bitchy she had done. And at that moment, Vanessa was so sure of the answer, which was no.

“Uh... How important is this scheme again?”

“Very.” Vanessa raised her brows, hoping for that consistency to make some things change.

“Very? Oh, there’s not a copy either, right?”

“No copies,” Vanessa smiled fakely. “Just that. And I need that now.” Brooke raised one brow, and acted like looking at her design on her table, and thinking. Please, Vanessa thought, Please don’t make me beg.

“No,”

No? Yeah, of course. What was she even expecting? “No, I thought that I made it very clear. If it is ‘sooo’ important as you said, you can come and get it. I mean... only if you can.”

She was challenging her, coming for her pride, knowing that Vanessa wouldn’t let her do that.

She closed her eyes, tried to regulate her breath which got fucked up because of adrenaline, and opened them back. Brooke was still there, watching her with a calm look on her face. She had to make up her mind right away, and hopefully choose the best thing, because they both knew that going her place didn’t mean just getting the scheme and leaving. They have had an unfinished conversation from the last night, which could change basically everything between them. But Vanessa was so sick of playing, so maybe talking those thoughts off her chest could’ve make things better? Or it would basically set the war fire. She wasn’t so sure. But they wouldn’t know without trying.

“Alright,” Vanessa shrugged. “I’ll be there in your lunch break. Make some coffee.”

***

“Hi,” Brooke mumbled when she saw Vanessa at the door, and made her some space to get in. 

The cats were almost like waiting for her, they started wanting attention from the younger girl with cute noises, and made even Brooke surprised. Since when her cats liked other people except her? “Hey,” Vanessa mumbled softly. “Hi bud, missed me, huh?” She bended over her knees, and grabbed the fluffy brown cat, trying to climb over her legs. 

“Yeah, they’re not a big fan of strangers normally,” Brooke scratched her neck nervously and closed the door. “But they really like you,” Vanessa knew that that words weren’t as shallow as they seemed when she made her way to the living room. Much more deeper. They both knew. It was Brooke’s way to express her own feelings, by hiding behind other topics.

Vanessa tried to hide her smile, and looked back to her over her shoulder. “Thanks, I like them too,” She mumbled, and exhaled loudly before sitting over the leather chouch. “Quite a lot.”

That was their first confession, and they were failing at even doing that openly. Vanessa gulped nervously, feeling the cold leather under her wasn’t helping. That was the first time she made it to there until their first night, and now her mind was flying to another points.

“Uh...” Brooke didn’t know what to do for a moment, and sat onto the arm of the couch. “Let me make some coffee. Is filter okay? I can make tea too, if you would like- or... wine?”

Vanessa laughed at her silliness and panic. She was definetely waiting for Vanessa to change her mind, being too afraid. But there she was, all brave, so ready to talk. She had been thinking about Brooke’s question for hours, and her mind was already full of thoughts she could say. And apparently that bitch could be vulnerable too, so she was loving that. It was giving her some hope about finishing the conversation well that day. “Coffee is good,” She said and kept caressing the cat, purring under her touch. “Wine didn’t end well the last time.” Brooke smiled and stood up and while she walks through the kitchen. “Coffee, then.”

“Where is the scheme by the way?” Vanessa asked, suddenly remembering the reason she had come. 

“I put it there, on the coffee table, see? You can get it when you leave.”

Vanessa nodded, and then cussed herself internally, how could she see her nod while making coffee? “Y-yes.” She said, and fixed her embarrassing mistake.

It took Brooke some while to make the coffees, so Vanessa had a chance to play with both cats, also looking around during the sunlight. She couldn’t deny the fact that she loved being there, with the cats, coffee smell, slight sunlight and... her. She loved being with her.

“Here,” Brooke put her hot coffee on the table, and sat onto the armchair in front of Vanessa, sitting cross legged. “Enjoy.” That scenery made the younger girl inhale loudly. She was so beautiful like that, all natural, grabbing her cup with both hands, but also still so Brooke in her work clothes. She wanted to picture her, and keep it to herself forever.

“Well,” Vanessa let the cat go, and handled the coffee cup instead, trying to conform Brooke’s behavior, but without a doubt, she was looking more nervous than her. “I think we’re supposed to talk.”

“Yeah,” Brooke said. “I think so.” And all words Vanessa had written on a corner of her mind faded, in a second. A deep silence covered the room, pushing both of them into thoughts. They were clearly trying to gather their mindsets.

“You know what?” Vanessa said, before taking another sip of her coffee to soothe her throat. “When I first came here, I really thought that we could make a good couple.” Those words were so brave of her, and they both knew that when their eyes met with full of sparkles inside. Brooke was smiling softly. “And what made you change your mind?”

Vanessa turned her eyes away, and took her shoes off to pull her knees to herself. She was already feeling uncomfortable and guardless about talking on that topic.

“Are you asking this, like seriously? Or just on formalities?” She said, pouting with dissatisfaction. Brooke’s smile faded in a second when she saw her like that, and her serious one took the place.

“I’m serious, Vanessa. We could keep that -whatever that was between us- going if you wanted to do so. But you chose to assume an unnecessary pose instead, like a child.”

Vanessa felt her heart suddenly pounding with anger, and threw her head back with a pissed laugh. She hated crying everytime she gets mad, but there she was, trying to keep the tears in again.

“Are you fucking serious?” Vanessa said, and made the eye contact again. But the fast movement made her tears drop off her cheeks, and therefore, the other ones flew down too. She was crying silently, and she wanted to beat herself so bad for that. She wiped some off before she started talking again, trying to look as strong as possible. “We could keep ‘what’ going, Brooke? What did you expect us to be after that morning, fuckbuddies? Jesus!” Her voice cracked, and she sipped some coffee to fix that.

Wagged at her while finishing her words. “Because that wasn’t the thing in my mind when you took care of me like that, okay? Maybe that’s just because you’re a ridiculously good manipulator and I’m stupid but...” she gulped and stared at her knees, couldn’t bare with looking at sad Brooke anymore. “I really thought you liked me.”

Brooke closed her eyes shut, her mind overflowing with different thoughts, none of them had to do anything with each other, only making her feel more confused. She didn’t even know how she made Vanessa feel that way. Because she knew that she wanted to be ‘something’ with Vanessa, and that thing was surely not fuckbuddies. There were plenty of things she felt against the ones she kept seeing just for sex, and she wouldn’t even compare them to Vanessa. This was so different, this was giving her a weird feeling in her stomach, heaviness on her chest, an unnecesary amount of thoughts about just Vanessa... This was so different, and Brooke didn’t know shit about showing and telling them. 

She thought of a thousand words she could say, a hundred possible ways to tell them, even I love you was an option at that moment, but the thing that left her mouth after minutes was definetely not one of them. That one was most likely to ruin everything they could build, because she was scared, scared as fuck. “I don’t know,” Brooke said. “I think I was scared. I’ve never had something like that, Vanessa. I don’t know how to treat you, I don’t know how to love you... I don’t even know how to touch you without hurting... I’m just... So used to being alone. I don’t know how to get used to all these.” 

When she found some courage to look at Vanessa again, she saw her crying, crying silently, and that broke something inside her. Something that she had to fix. “‘Ness... I don’t wanna make you cry anymore, I swear-“

Vanessa was holding the cup so tightly when she interrupted Brooke to talk, the blondie got concerned about the glass breaking between her hands. She had never seen Vanessa so angry, so dissapointed or so... heartbroken.

“Yeah shit. Don’t worry, I’m not gonna cry for you anymore.” She spitted, and hit the cup onto the table, splashing the coffee all around her hand, possibly burning the shit out of her. But the adrenaline kept her away from feeling that. That words were as painful to hear for Brooke.

“And,” Vanessa said while putting her shoes back on, and grabbed her purse and the scheme. Leaving everything on the table off her chest. “I’m tired enough, I can’t teach you how to love, okay? I can’t pretend like I don’t need any romance just to have you for myself, because fuck it, I do. And if you’re not willing to try, I’m sorry, I can’t carry this all by myself. A relationship is for two.”

Brooke tried to talk, but she couldn’t find the right words. It felt like letting Vanessa slide from her hands. So weird, so disturbing. So... painful? “Anyway...” Vanessa sniffed and mumbled before running through the exit, and didn’t mind Brooke shouting behind. “You don’t have to be scared anymore. Because we’re done.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nina, I made a huge mistake," Brooke said to the phone immediately when her friend picked up. "Brooke, Jesus! Why didn't you come to work after the break? You missed the meeti- wait, are you... crying?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Are we ready to soften a little bit? Even though my bitchy Brooke is my favorite, I loved seeing her vulnerable inside too during the whole writing process. And here she is with a cozy friendly moment, hope she’ll make it up to you with this. You know, she’s good at stealing hearts. Enjoy, angel.

"Nina, I made a huge mistake," Brooke said to the phone immediately when her friend picked up. "Brooke, Jesus! Why didn't you come to work after the break? You missed the meeti- wait, are you... crying?" Brooke sniffed and hold her blanket tighter.

Well shit, they had a meeting with the company they were planning to work with, and their CEO missing that meant it was not gonna happen. But she didn’t even care about that anymore. A couple thousand dollars could’ve wait. She had bigger problems, even it was making her heart hurt.

"Do I really look that unloving?" she whined, before starting sobbing her eyes off again. Nina was all silent on the other line, and Brooke knew that she was shocked. She would never, ever cry unless she would be all alone and miserable. "Babe, what happened, why are you- oh my god Brooke- are you really, seriously crying?"

Brooke started crying even louder, and hugged Apollo, while he was trying to calm her down by kneading her chest with his little paws. "Yes, you fuck, I'm crying my eyes off. I think I'm getting into an ice cream and blankets type of depression and I need you here, so much."

Brooke could picture Nina walking in her office stressfully, trying to think of someone to keep the things going when they were both gone. She knew that Nina would came though, because if Brooke was crying, that could mean that the world was ending. And she would prefer spending the last hour of her existence until apocalypse with her best friend and her cats, instead of a bunch of misogynistic fuckers in the meeting.

"Okay," Nina said. Brooke could hear her picking up her stuff. "Hang in there, don't do anything weird, and hug your babies until I get there, alright?" She was so concerned, that was for sure. Because she had -almost- never seen her as such a wreck like that, and at those moments, Nina wouldn't know what to do. "'Kay," she sniffed once again. "I'm waiting."

The half an hour went like a day for Brooke, apparently time could be a bitch when you needed it to pass quickly. She could bet that her eyes were swollen and voice was half gone. She had zero energy, minus ten apetite and no will to go to even peeing, so she was an epic mess. As if Vanessa leaving her like a wreck wasn't enough, now she was into an existential crisis, and she had no idea how to come through that without somebody's help. Every conversation they've had with Vanessa was hitting different points into her mind now, she was able to look at them from different aspects, and the more she does so, the more she was seeing how fucked up the situation was. And just like that, she was so confused, without a hint of knowing what could make their situation better.  


She didn't want to lose her. She was too good to get hurt. She was making every place she gets into better with her golden aura, putting a smile on every single face in the room. Brooke had seen that a lot of times even though they've been working only for days, and the thought of not being able to experience more of that light was unbearable. She had to find a solution, but her mind wasn't working anymore. She was starting to think that her heart was only pumping pain and regret instead of blood. She tried to calm herself down against another crying attack, and talked calmly to herself, Nina would always know what to say when she was in a downfall, and she was so sure that she would help at that time too. They were gonna be better. 

And just like that, half an hour passed, and she heard the door opening sound coming from the entrance. She was always a big fan of her loneliness, though at that moment hearing a key sound could easily make her the happiest.

"Brooke, oh god! Where are you? Did something happened to someone?" Her friend's voice was sounding super scared. Nina threw her coat and purse onto the ottoman in the entrance and ran into the living room, but seeing everything in everywhere was only making her more concerned. The vases were on the floor, one broken, tissues everywhere -though it was a great opportunity for the kitties to play- a huge coffee stain on the table, pillows all around the room.

"Oh god, who fought here?" She mumbled, and immediately hugged her friend, waiting for her with open arms. "Nobody," Brooke sobbed, and hugged Nina tighter. "I threw a tantrum, because apparently I'm unappreciative as fuck, I don't know how to love and didn't even know how to keep the best girl in the world in my life!" Nina separated their bodies and looked at Brooke with a serious face. "First of all, that's not true, you're one of the most appreciative people I know," she wiped Brooke's tears and took Apollo off her hands to leave him go. "And shit, you fought with Vanessa, right?" After she heard her name, Brooke started crying more, and Nina snuggled closer to her. "Oh you really did honey, didn't you? Tell me everything, one by one."

When Nina stood up to take off her heels, Brooke wiped her tears away, and pointed the non-damaged vase on the floor. "Could you at least pick up that one, I paid that one well."

Well, at least that was so Brooke.

***

"So now you know what to do, right? See, it wasn't that hard, babe. You can fix it all."

Nina kept cleaning Brooke's ruined makeup with the cotton ball, and smiled widely when Brooke nodded. "But I couldn't have done that without you," Brooke mumbled.

"So to say, I know a lot of shit, I have a hundred solutions for any possible problem when it comes to work and getting laid with someone, but then I see her, and they're all gone. Suddenly I know nothing." That words made her friend laugh. But Brooke was so serious, pouting with a frustrated face. She had never felt so pathetic and confused against someone, even though she was trying her best to keep her coldness. Maybe she should've let it all go, otherwise they could be together.  


"Silly thing," she smiled. "Pride and love don't go together. If you wanna be with her, you'll learn to let your guards down. Don't try to build them back up." She threw the dirty cotton ball into the ashtray, and lighted a cigarette instead. Brooke seemed to be thinking about her words, actually, she could be correct. Whenever she ruined a thing between them, it was because of her coldness, or borders. Nothing else could fuck them up like that if she would let it all go, instead of freaking out.

"Yeah," She mumbled. "She didn't deserve to be torn out like that either. Now I'm gonna fix it as I ruined." She exhaled and leaned into Nina's lighter to burn her own cigar. And waited for her to light it up. "At least now I have a plan. That's the only thing I know about. When did you say we're getting the first examples again?" She asked, and let out the heavy smoke out of her chest. 

"Tomorrow," Nina said. "And if she doesn't fall for that, honey, I don't know anything about her." Brooke smiled with the thought of Vanessa in her arms, and caged some more smoke in her lungs. She really didn’t know anything about Vanessa.

She suddenly felt so lucky to be able to learn more about her, hold her in her arms even for a night, touching her as much as she wanted, treating her as kindly as she deserved. She was a treasure, now Brooke was seeing better. A treasure that must be protected, a treasure that must be taken care of. She wasn’t like anyone else she had touched. She knew that the first time she fell into her lap. When their eyes met at that moment, those big eyes had touched somewhere different in her, and that feeling carried them through that night.

Brooke would never let anyone sleep with her, she could never do that. Not that she didn’t see them worthy of it, but seriously, she had issues falling asleep with someone sleeping next to her. But with Vanessa, when her hands running all over her pretty hair and the younger girl’s hands caressing her face as if she needed to memorize all the details of her face... It was different, so peaceful sleeping with her.

And suddenly, like with a godly touch, she wanted to see her in everywhere at her house. In the mirror she looked at, the coffee she sipped every morning, with the cats when they were playing... Oh god, what kind of spell, you’d pulled me into, she couldn’t help thinking. Now I want you everywhere. Even the small talk they’ve had was still rebounding in her mind. Every chuckle the girl had let out was echoing in her ears like the prettiest song in the world. Fuck, fuck, fuck. If it was love she felt, she was so in love, up to her neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hey,” she mumbled. “Do you have some time?” Vanessa stood up immediately when she saw Brooke, and wiped her tears away. “Aren’t you a crybaby?” Brooke mocked and chuckled, she was able to make Vanessa laugh too. She was not able to take her eyes off her even for a moment though, because Vanessa was even prettier that Nina had mentioned. Even prettier than she could ever imagine. It was like she was getting more and more beautiful every single day, or it was Brooke’s eyes that getting blind with love, she couldn’t put the tag on it. She looked just... flawless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with the biggest plot twist of the story! I had to take a day off because I was fully focused on writing the final episode. And I gotta say that I’ll be spoiling you babes with a lotta romance, so be ready for some Shakespearean fantasy. This episode is one of my favorites, so hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 
> 
> I love seeing your comments so much, I appreciate them a lot, thank you so much.  
> Hope you have a great day angel, take care.

Vanessa was wearing her depression sweater as a dress on that day, a thin baby blue one with a little sad face embroidered on it, even though LA summer had no space for that, she was challenging her body with heat, hoping to disappear by melting at the same time. But the new air system was working so good, she wasn't even sweating, that was making her feel even more down. Well, at least it's working, she was thinking.

Yesterday was a time of suffering for her, trying so hard to keep her tears inside while finishing the damn scheme. A'keria kept bringing her some treats and little gifts, leaving cute notes on her table in a full mom mood, but that wasn't working either. Instead, her table was full of treats and gifts at the end of the day, more than enough to make someone a good ass celebration package. Besides her not having any time to eat them, she had no will.

But at least, at the end of the day she could finish the whole scheme and gave it to Plastique, when she had learned that Nina, even Brooke wasn't there. That had made her quite concerned though, but she was still trying to not think about her. Because she was already covering a huge ass place in her mind, unfortunately in her heart and working life. 

When she finally headed home, it was harder for her, to be honest. Because being all alone wasn't working for her, and rewatching The Notebook was only making her cry more under her weighted blanket.

It was making her regret the words she said even though she was right, it was making her wanna run back into her arms. Just one apologize, just one would be enough for her. But Brooke would never. Vanessa knew that, and just like that, they had lost all their chances together.

She didn't even want to wake up in the morning, and coming to work seemed like a nightmare. Even hearing Brooke's name was giving her a stomachache, and now she had to work for her? Oh god, pure suffer.

But the things she had to finish on that day, and her workaholic side was forcing her to not get a day off from Jaida. Not that they wouldn't let her rest, but she knew that when she disappears, even that clogged toilets wouldn't get fixed without her, for god's sake... 

And again, on the middle of the week, she was standing in front of her schedule, trying to figure out what to do next. Maybe she should've start calling business partners for deliveries- wait, no, then she had to call Brooke too. E-mailing the files instead? Definetely better.

"Wow, bitch, you look so damn good!" She turned back with Silky's voice, being separated away from her thoughts.

"What?" She said with astonishment, and looked down to herself to see if she was serious, seeing nothing to compliment on. Just white thigh high heels and a basic sweater. 

"Well, I appreciate your effort to make me feel better, but I'm literally wearing a simple sweater, Silk," she mumbled. "Also, why are you here? You guys have a ton of work down there. We just got the deliveries, remember?" She nodded and rolled eyes at her friend, putting one of the shoe boxes she was carrying onto her table. "I know, Miss-I-Take-Everything-Under-Control. But you have a package. From upstairs." That made Vanessa knit her brows with confusion. "Okay." She said when her friend waved her hand. "Thank you. B-but- who... sent... it?"

Silky was already gone before she could ask her about the sender. She was alone with the mysterious box now. It was a shiny golden one, much more different than the other Hytes boxes. Normally, they would be a pale pink, with silver letters on it. Also, there was a note too, so she was really wondering what was inside.

But at the same time, she was kinda scared, because Silky was a type of person who could make a scary ass joke with even bugs or snakes -she had an unpleasing experience with them- so she wasn't so sure.

She shaked her head, gathered her bravery and hoped for it to be a proper thing, and held her breath as she opened the box.

*** 

"Have you seen Vanessa today?" Nina closed the door shut behind her, making Brooke drop her pen off her hand. "No, why?" She asked with concern. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, holy shit, yes," Nina said and bit her lips. "More than alright." Brooke straightened up on her place and raised her brows as Nina laid back on the door. Brooke was starting to lose her patience, as if she had much in storage. "Nina, I have a full collection to finish in two weeks, so I swear to god if you're taking my time for nothing..."

"She looks adorable," Nina said just in a breath. "I mean, I'm so fucking straight but the bitch made even 'me' squeak."

Brooke's eyes got bigger. "Details," she ordered. She needed to see her, immediately.

"Baby blue sweater dress, white sock thigh-high boots, and a ponytail. She's living her Ariana Grande fantasy, and let me tell you honey, even Ari would be jealous."

Brooke started torturing her pen's back with wonder, and tried to find a good excuse to go see her. But she wasn't sure if Silky had given her the package yet, so she didn't have the ass either. Because Vanessa wouldn't even look at her face otherwise. With the package, at least she had a chance. 

"Do we have to get some files or anything signed?" She asked, trying to look as innocent as she could. "I wouldn't mind doing some... daily jogging... you know... through downstairs-" Of course, Nina would never eat that. And Brooke was a horrible actress. She was only good at building icebergs between her and others, and that wasn't even fake. So it wasn't working at all.

"Uh- stop, you're ridiculous," Nina wrinkled her nose. "Even Plastique would know that you're going to see Vanessa, don't try that on anyone again." Yeah, that was a big fact, but Brooke was literally craving to be a witness to that flawless scenery, and if she was even half as pretty as Nina said... Brooke's day could be saved. Because she was still feeling the intensity remaining from yesterday, and she needed to see the things between them completely fixed.

She didn’t even need to take things under control this time, only thing she wanted was being with Vanessa, without thinking about the future; without thinking about the bad things that coul happen.

She was so in her thoughts, couldn't even get angry for her friend making fun of her. She was completely, and incredibly distracted.

"We gotta get some contracts signed, by Vanessa herself," Nina winked, and got Brooke's attention. "You know, for the commitment and those shit. She will work with us for at least two years, and otherwise she's paying-yada-yada-yada. Ugh, just ask Plastique, she will print them for you." 

Brooke stood up and ran to Nina to steal a hug, but she almost made them both fall hardly. "You are the best!" She said, and made her friend, trying to escape from her arms, laugh loudly. "I'll be back in ten."

"Yeah, sure you will," Nina said when Brooke dissapeared, and chuckled as she checked the designs Brooke was working on. "God, you're so childish when you're in love. But I think I can get used to that.”

At the same time, Brooke was waiting impatiently to get the prints done. "Come on, Plastique, come on," she said after three inaccurate prints. "I can't wait for you for two hours. I have work to do." But that was only making the girl more nervous, and they were losing even more time. Brooke rubbed her forehead nervously, and checked her watch, as if she was gonna miss Vanessa if she doesn’t hurry up.

She had no idea about what was happening to her, but since the first second the girl stepped into her life, she could feel the change inside her body. She was feeling everything more, deeply, more vibrant, but more, more, a lot more. And who was she to complain? That was by far one of the best things she had ever felt, the weird thing in her stomach. It was so new, she was thinking, but I can gladly get used to that.

When she heard the click from the printer, she grabbed the papers with excitement before Plastique to check if they were right, and thank god, those were the ones. “Good, Plastique,” She said, and ran through the elevator. “Don’t forget to put the brand meeting with Doll Hall tomorrow! At 2 pm. Urgent!”

Her assistant rolled her eyes. She was still ordering things even when she was in a hurry, sometimes it was getting ridiculous. She was wondering if she had ever acted silly or vulnerable against anyone, and incurably failing to find an answer.

It was a casual talk they were having with the other workers during coffee breaks. Sometimes they were even betting on that, and Plastique was remembering making a good amount of money for paying on Brooke’s coldness. They all were picturing baby Brooke when she born, the nurses giving her to her mom, she was in a suit, and ordering everything to everyone with an angry face. That story was their favorite, making all of them laugh a lot, but she would probably fire them all if she knew, they were thinking.

But lately, she had been acting kinda different, even weird, and they could see that too. Michelle was so insistent about her theory, Brooke Lynn Hytes fell in love, but nobody was believing her. That was impossible. The world would end, but the ice queen wouldn’t fall in love. Right? She would never fall in love.

***

Oh, Brooke was so in love.

That was the only thing she could think of when the elevator started working. She checked her reflection in the mirror, and fixed her black suit carefully, making sure that her hair looked good too. She clearly wanted to be good for her. But she wasn’t sure if the package was arrived yet, so a clap back could be the thing she would get too.

She stepped into the floor thinking about that, and made her way through Vanessa’s room as fast as possible. “Brooke!” Oh, how much she wished for her name to not be Brooke at that moment... That was Jaida, for sure, wanting to talk to her about something serious. “Do you have a minute?” Uh, I don’t? “Yes, sure.” She said instead.

“Well, I was thinking about this launching...” 

Brooke was flying around different worlds while her partner kept talking about the new season launching, literally only thing she could focus on Jaida, was their eyes, and nothing else. And she had lost them too, when she saw Silky leaving Vanessa’s room with boxes in her hands, and winking slightly. Now she’s opening the box, she was thinking, maybe reading the note...

“Chile, are you listening? Jaida tapped Brooke’s shoulder and took her away from her built up world. “Huh?” Brooke said. “Yes, I’m listening. Just... got distracted. I gotta get these files filled immediately Jai, can we talk about it later?”

Jaida shaked their head, “Okay,” they mumbled. “You look weird though... I’m not gonna dig in.” Brooke rolled her eyes when they turned back. Why everybody was telling the same? There was just a single thing that changed in her life, and that was Vanessa. Vanessa, Vanessa... Just two meters left for me to see her-

“Miss Hytes!” 

Fuck my name, Brooke closed her eyes and exhaled, fuck my name, fuck my name, fuck my name. When she turned back, A’keria was standing right in front of her with a huge amount of files on her lap. “We should talk about the last payments we’ve put into the air conditioning,” she said, and tried to find a file.

“Why?” Brooke asked. “Vanessa made it super clear.” A’keria nodded, and showed her the signed paper. “Yes, yes she did. But we have to pay more than planned, because we changed the schedule.”

Brooke wanted to sit on the floor and cry, the only thing she wanted to do was seeing Vanessa, but what was that now? “You know what, A’keria, I don’t care. I’ll pay a ten thousands more instead of both companies, I really don’t care.” She said, and left the girl blinking with shock behind her.

Could she be the one that was so insistent about not willing to pay for the system at the first sight? Impossible. “Finances are Nina’s thing, so please talk to her, I gotta go.” 

She almost ran to the end of the hall after that, being afraid of someone else to cut her way.

And finally, finally, she was there after an unnecessary amount of time, standing in front of the open door with the contracts in her hands. She didn’t even remember about those papers -she dropped them- when she saw Vanessa sitting on her table, and reading the note with eyes full of tears.

She took a deep breath, and knocked the door. “Hey,” she mumbled. “Do you have some time?” Vanessa stood up immediately when she saw Brooke, and wiped her tears away. “Aren’t you a crybaby?” Brooke mocked and chuckled, she was able to make Vanessa laugh too. She was not able to take her eyes off her even for a moment though, because Vanessa was even prettier that Nina had mentioned. Even prettier than she could ever imagine. It was like she was getting more and more beautiful every single day, or it was Brooke’s eyes that getting blind with love, she couldn’t put the tag on it. She looked just... flawless. 

“Did you like it?” Brooke said, pointing the shoe box on the table. The black shoes were showing themselves slightly, looking really good even from afar. “Can’t believe you’re asking this,” Vanessa said and grabbed the shoes gently, caressing the stripes around the ankle part slightly. “I love it!”

Brooke smiled and got closer by taking some power from Vanessa’s words. “I designed it like a week ago, when we first met, thinking of you...” she said, and left Vanessa on shook once again. “Fortunately, the design examples came early, so I could give the first one to... you. And I would be so happy if you could wear them for the launching party, no pressure though.” Was that even a question?

Vanessa tried to talk a couple times, stuttered, couldn’t find the right word to say, and almost gave up. Her heart was about to pop off her chest, the love and intimacy of the feelings were doing so much pressure to her little heart. “I-“ she tried again. “This is just... They’re so beautiful Brooke. Thank you so much.” That was the only thing she could say. And then she was crying again.

She thought about all the things Brooke said to her a day before, about being used to loneliness and all that stuff. But did that really mean, she was ready for a serious thing? Could they be something? Vanessa would be down to literally anything at that moment. Anything to be with Brooke, anything to be Brooke’s.

The blondie shrugged slightly, that was her way of saying nice things, Vanessa knew, so she laughed into her tears. “What?” She said. “Do I have to wipe off my own tears?” Brooke laughed and invited her for a hug, and just like that, she ran into Brooke’s arms and gave her a huge hug, making both of them sigh with relief.

“You look so pretty today,” Brooke mumbled, couldn’t keep it to herself anymore, right before putting a kiss on top of Vanessa’s head. Which was just on the right place, on Brooke’s heart, and god, it was beating so fastly, Vanessa was so sure of her feelings at that moment. “I do?” She sniffed, “This is my depression sweater.” Brooke tousled her hair and chuckled.

“Well, means that we gotta get you out of it as soon as possible.” And that made both of them laugh loudly. Vanessa sighed once more with relief, when she felt Brooke’s fingers massaging her hair softly, and closed her eyes. She never wanted to separate their bodies. They could stay like that forever, and she wouldn’t ever complain.

“Do you feel that too?” Brooke asked after a long peaceful silence, again in her way of expressing things. Vanessa nodded and hugged tighter as if it was even possible. “Yes,” she whispered. “I love you too.”

_‘ **"Cinderella is the proof that a pair of shoes can change your life."**_

_I’m so sorry, you were right, we would make a great couple_

_I think we deserve another chance_

_ Love, Brooke ’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m good at fixing things.” Brooke laughed softly and threw her head back. “Yes, baby, you’re so good. Always so good for me.”  
> She grabbed Vanessa’s chin afterwards, making an eye contact to see the love inside those big browns. That was her favorite thing for the last month, seeing the way they sparkle everytime they touched into hers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not gonna lie, I’m shocked with the amount of comments I’ve gotten for the last episode! Y’all are so cute! I’m incredibly happy that you enjoyed one of my favorite episodes. I can’t thank you enough.  
> After this point, I’ll be serving you three episodes full of The Notebook romance as you deserve -but with a happy ending-, so stay tuned. Today I give you some more adult content, tomorrow, who knows? 👀  
> If you wanna meet, talk to me or share your ideas you know that you can reach out to me on Tumblr always. Blessed be. 🤍

“Rise and shine sweet thing,” that soft, melodic whisper was the first thing Vanessa heard on that day, an angelic familiar scent following that voice through her nose, pushing her back into her peaceful sleep. “Five minutes,” she murmured, and tried to pull Brooke to the bed. “Let me see the end of my dream at least.” Brooke smiled, and rolled her eyes at the same time. They both knew that it wasn’t possible, she was just trying her best to stay in.

Brooke knew that Vanessa was working so hard lately, but it was ‘thee’ launching day, so there was a huge rush in the building already. Having some more sleep was almost like a sin, Nina and Jaida would choke them if they would know.

But Vanessa was so ridiculously pretty begging and pouting with closed eyes like that under the sheets, she couldn’t help laying back next to her, in her suit. “Just five more, and then you’re definetely getting up,” Brooke said, and put a butterfly kiss onto her girlfriend’s nose. “God, I can’t believe you convinced me back in bed, wearing my damn heels.” 

That wasn’t the only thing Vanessa had convinced her to do so, nor the only difference she had seen in herself since they first started dating. 45 days full of her, and she was a different person when Vanessa is around. Looking at everything from a different perspective, oozing inspiration -two different collections for the next two seasons, and she had also turned back to painting- and endless other things she couldn’t even put a name on them. Vanessa was so full of life, it was contagious. After that day ending with the little note, they were craving for each other literally every single minute.

Brooke was still afraid at first, of even calling her ‘girlfriend’, still slightly pulling herself back by thinking ‘what if I get bored’ but it wasn’t even possible, she had realised with time. Everytime Vanessa gave her a kiss, looked into her eyes with love, everytime she smiled with joy, everyday they spent together, she was falling more and more. And after some point, it seemed unreal, just like a dream. She was a dream, making Brooke feel the luckiest.

And once again, that dreamy soft smile bloomed on Vanessa’s face in her sleep, making Brooke forget everything else. Just like that, she could create her two more hours from scratch, to make her feel better. Moreover, it was a great opportunity for Brooke to watch Vanessa more, more, more... Without holding herself back, without being shy, without getting interrupted by their annoying workers. Because they were more likely to be in a mag team, trying to find out more about their relationship in every possible opportunity. They’re starting to be tactless, Vanessa was saying, even asking her about their sex life, Brooke was this close to kicking their asses off the building. And just because of them, even though their thing was so obvious, they were still trying to keep it as a secret. Because Brooke knew that those geniuses were betting on them, putting a stupid amount of money on it. Also thinking that she wouldn’t find out... Ridiculous. She had already known about it from the very first. Even a bird wouldn’t fly in that building out of her sight, they should’ve known.

But the end of the day, we’re together, Vanessa was trying to calm her down. Let them talk, let them bet, anything. At the end of the day, we’re together. And nothing else matters. And she was making a good point, every single time that topic comes to the table. Just like that, her madness was turning into chuckles and frustration into little kisses.

Vanessa was good for her, even too good, she was making her a better person. The most importantly, they were learning from each other every other day. Wasn’t that the most important thing? Taking a leap of each other’s books constantly? That was the thing that were gonna keep them alive and full of passion all the time, they were thinking. And they weren’t afraid of talking their mind when they were alone anymore. In bed, with a cup of tea or coffee, watching a movie maybe, or sleeping under the other’s hand...

“My angel,” Brooke whispered her thoughts uncontrollably and gazed all over her face. If someone would tell her that you will get rewarded with an angel flung out of space, and it will be the fucking love at first sight, you’ll forget everything you know before her; she would laugh so hard, it would make her tear up. But now she was in a lap of something that she didn’t even know how she deserved, or if she ever did, and it was making her chest heave with feelings. Feelings that she still can’t put solid names on them. They were taking it as slow as they could for Brooke, and enjoying every second. And it was a thing to worth living for. She gazed her girlfriend carefully, as if she could hurt her soft features just by looking. Oh, I could live and die for you. “My beautiful angel,” she whispered again.

She tried to save her pretty face in her mind for the rest of the day they were gonna stay apart, her lashes quivering slightly, the sleepy smile brightening her face, her smooth skin... And couldn’t help driving her hands down to her soft face, caressing it slightly. That was enough to wake Vanessa up. She melted into Brooke’s touch and slowly opened her eyes with a whine. “What a good way to start the day,” she said while getting closer for a little kiss, smiling into that. “God, I miss waking up with you so much. Fuck the work.” Her voice was still kinda gravelly, making her seem even more cute.

She took her time to watch Brooke too while stretching her body, she was all ready to go, so flawless in her hot pink suit with a white cropped shirt inside, blonde locks spreading all over the sheets. “What?” Brooke said with a chuckle, realising Vanessa’s half opened eyes all over her body. “Why are you looking like that?”

“I think we should delay the launching or something,” Vanessa mumbled, and snuggled closer to Brooke, grabbing her ass over the fabric. “Because we have a moreee... important thing to do.” Brooke raised her brows, knowing full well what did she mean. “Hmm?” She played the silly instead, grabbing Vanessa’s chin higher to make a better eye contact. “And what’s that?”

“Taking some care of me.” Vanessa whispered softly, right before diving into another kiss between the other girl’s bright laughters.

***

“What does that even mean?” Vanessa whisper screamed at Plastique, and checked around to see if Brooke was around. Both companies were working super hard for launching on that day, and they were already so nervous. Brooke hearing a last minute problem wouldn’t be so nice. Luckily she was there to drop some last minute files, so she heard about the news before her.

“Plastique, they’re the most important names. How could you forget sending invitations? Oh god... You’re working with three people to do one job, and you fucked it up anyway? Good job.” She rubbed her face, and exhaled, trying to calm herself down. They needed those people to appear in the launching, they were the ones that gonna make it sell a lot. 

Plastique was looking so scared and uncomfortable when she looked at her again.

“Look at me,” Vanessa said, and held the girl’s wrist to calm her down a little bit. “You’re gonna talk to their assistants, and make it sure that all the other events they have will be delayed, you hear me?” That was the toughest thing to do, but they had no other choice at that point. “I will see them tonight. And I swear to god if this goes to Brooke’s ears...”

Well, she was kinda late to think about that. She suddenly heard a shout behind them, from Brooke’s room, making both of them jump.

“Plastique! Here, now!” Her voice was so mad, Vanessa know that tone very well. The tone that makes everybody in the office shit their pants. And she surely was gonna scold Plastique to death.

“Shit,” the girl mumbled. “Shit, shit, shit. She’s definetely gonna fire me this time.”

Vanessa turned back, and saw Brooke walking all around the office, eyes closed, face angry. Plastique could be right, she would fire the house down looking like that. She definitely needed to take things under control.

“Okay,” She mumbled. And pointed Plastique her desk. “You go back to your work, do the thing I’ve said. I’ll take care of... this.” 

After more than a month together, Brooke being mad was still concerning Vanessa so much. It was a hard thing to get used to, and for her workers the most. So at least she could try to calm her down, if only it would work. 

“Oh god, you’re an angel, Vanessa, thank you,” Plastique whined, immediately going back to her work with the fear of Vanessa changing her mind. And just like that, she made her way to her girlfriend’s room, without being interrupted this time. Everybody was used to Vanessa getting into Brooke’s room at random times and since their boss clearly ordered them to not question that, thankfully she wasn’t struggling anymore.

“Have nobody teached you to knock-“ Brooke suddenly turned back with a scream, but she couldn’t keep it going when she saw Vanessa instead of her assistant. “God...” She mumbled while rubbing her head. “Thought you were Plastique.” Vanessa pouted with a pity, looking at Brooke looked so messed up and frustrated after closing down all the roller blinds, as always.

“Have you heard about it?” Vanessa asked, getting closer to Brooke and pushing her back through her chair to make her sit, she didn’t resist. 

“Isn’t it obvious?” Brooke rolled her eyes, and let Vanessa massage her shoulders as she threw her head back. She was relaxing under her hands slowly. 

“Yeah, it is. That’s why I’m here,” She pressured onto her back more and made Brooke moan with relief. “To make you relax.”

Well, she was being successful. Brooke wasn’t good at staying mad against Vanessa. She was so good at making her feel better with her soft voice, pretty face and clever touches.

“Oh you never fail to do that,” Brooke closed her eyes, and sighed. “I needed this so much.” Vanessa chuckled with satisfaction. To see her better was making her feel relieved too. It was like they were always sharing one heart, feeling the same things the other one does. So taking it under control was a sigh of relief for both of them. They were always so good for each other.

“I know,” Vanessa whispered, and caressed Brooke’s shoulders down her structured arms as she kept talking. “And I also know that you needed to hear that ‘I’ fixed the problem. They will be in there tonight, don’t worry.” Vanessa could feel Brooke smile with satisfaction even though she couldn’t see, so she kept touching her gently, and reached her shirt’s buttons from the back. “Everything is under control.” Brooke hummed with approval, and opened her eyes back as Vanessa takes her place on her lap, unbuttoning her shirt with her skilled fingers. Who was her to resist that? “You say so?” Brooke mumbled and grabbed her ass, pulling her closer to herself on the chair, preventing her from falling. Vanessa nodded and looked at Brooke’s smooth bare chest, already touching it with her eyes. “Hmm,” she said and drew a long lick between her boobs up to her neck, making Brooke hold her breath. “I’m good at fixing things.” Brooke laughed softly and threw her head back. “Yes, baby, you’re so good. Always so good for me.”

She grabbed Vanessa’s chin afterwards, making an eye contact to see the love inside those big browns. That was her favorite thing for the last month, seeing the way they sparkle everytime they touched into hers. 

“What would I do without you?” She suddenly let out, making Vanessa open her mouth slightly with shock. Those weren’t the kind of words Vanessa was used to hearing. Even though Brooke was always so nice for her, she would always hesitate to say them out loud, try to make her feel instead. But sometimes, she was choosing to make Vanessa freeze, with the sweetest words coming out of her pretty lips. 

“Wha-“ She spitted out of control, making Brooke smirk and caress her cheeks. 

“What would I do without you?” Brooke repeated. “Normally I would be firing 3 different workers, ruining the shit out of myself. Then you came.” Vanessa gulped, and grabbed the collar of Brooke’s shirt, to get some power from that. Her legs were getting weaker, just like everytime she touched her, or touched her heart. “Look at me now,” Brooke chuckled, and made Vanessa smile by serving the most beautiful grin in the world. “Feeling like a puddle under your touch. Who am I?” That made Vanessa laugh too.

They both could see how different Brooke was when she was with Vanessa. She was softer, cuter, better, the most importantly, more like real Brooke. The one that she even hid from herself for years. And it was so precious for both of them. 

“Well, that’s apparently what love does to you ma’am,” Vanessa shrugged playfully, acting like fixing Brooke’s shirt, but her beautiful cleavage was still in front of her eyes. “And I still have plenty to give, all for you...” Brooke bit her lower lip, and wrapped a strand of Vanessa’s hair around her finger. Vanessa was crazy of her playing with her hair, she immediately melted into that touch, and gave her a small kiss, her shiny lip gloss mixing into Brooke’s nude lipstick. 

“I love you,” Vanessa whispered into her mouth, and put another kiss, not waiting for an answer. She didn’t have to hear that back from Brooke. She had already ‘knew’. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you...” She kept whispering over her girlfriend’s lips, eyes locked into hers, before Brooke pulled her to herself harshly from her neck, deepening a big kiss. And just like that, they forgot everything else around them. Breathing each other instead of air, drinking each other instead of water, filling every blank space in their lives with each other. It was making both of them dizzy.

Brooke reached to Vanessa’s dress zipper without cutting the kiss, and opened it down to her hips, fingers tracing her back and almost burning the parts they touch with passion. Vanessa was never gonna get sick of that fresh feeling blooming inside her, she smiled into Brooke’s kiss, and squirmed on her lap slightly, placing herself better.

Vanessa knew that it was almost impossible for them to stop after they parted their lips with a sinful spit connecting them. She was blinking with the whole world turning around her, while Brooke drove her hands under Vanessa’s skirt. But as Vanessa started thinking clearer, the missing things were taking their places. And it wasn’t so pleasing. “Shit,” She whispered, but Brooke didn’t seem like stopping, fingers reaching to the dangerous places of Vanessa already. “Shit, shit, shit, I didn’t lock the doo-“

It was too late for both of them, when her words got interrupted with the door suddenly opening without a fucking knock, and making Vanessa scream. The younger girl immediately buried her face into Brooke’s neck as if she could hide herself like that, and Brooke tried to cover Vanessa’s bare back with her hands wrapped around.

“Holy shit.” They both heard, from Plastique standing right in front of the door. “I owe Michelle a hundred bucks.” Brooke grabbed Vanessa’s waist and helped her stand up, as she started shouting with anger, that was so expected though. “Close that fucking door before I kick you out, Plastique!” She talked between her teeth, buttoning her shirt at the same time. 

It took all of them a while to realise what the fuck had happened, when the girl closed the door shut, and left them alone with their heavy breathing sounds.

“Oh my god,” Vanessa chuckled with shock, and turned her back to Brooke for her to zip her. “Oh my god.” Vanessa repeated again, fixing her hair as fastly as she could, her heart still pounding in her mouth. No doubts Brooke wasn’t so different. They were exposed, and in the most extreme way possible. Probably both of the companies were talking about them already. And it was so, so stupidly funny rather than embarrassing.

When they turned back to each other and their wide opened eyes met, both of their laughters rebounded around the office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa chuckled and took one step forward to get into Brooke’s arms completely, placing her head right onto Brooke’s heart over her sparkly dress. Finally they weren’t afraid of acting like themselves around other people, and it was surely a gift.  
> She put a kiss onto Brooke’s bare chest as the blondie run her fingers through Vanessa’s curls. “They’re so fake.” The younger girl pouted and murmured, and looked right into Brooke’s eyes. Knowing that her girlfriend was feeling the same things. Brooke shrugged. “I don’t care. My eyes were on you all night.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter before the final one, how do we feel?  
> Hope you’re having a lovely day, I’m just here to add a little romantic wlw moment into that.  
> Since we’re getting closer to the end, if you have any fic ideas that you’d like to read from my perspective, you know that you can reach out to me on Tumblr as alltherestisdrag. My DM is always open for your thoughts and even for just to be friends!  
> I’m so grateful for the support that you’ve sent me through even just by reading. Being able to share my little alternative universe feels amazing!  
> Hope you enjoy this chapter.

The launching hall was overflowing with guests, fancy people dressing ridiculously expensive, drinking champagne and chatting about their businesses with the prideful smirk on their faces that nobody could ignore. The ambient air was kinda fake, kinda too much. The young girl couldn’t help feeling herself in a stupid fairytale ball. But they all were looking so good nonetheless.

Everything was just like Brooke had ordered. An old, ruined building, decorated with all natural items. The shoes placed onto the wooden stands surrounded with ivies were winking at the guests. They were looking perfect, as if they were the part of the building, so natural even with their leather structures and unusual shapes. Everything was flawless, so they could have take a deep breath.

Vanessa inhaled deeply when she thought about that and closed her eyes as Rossini’s The Barber of Seville started rebounding in the building, caressing her ears. She loved that track. And oh god, after a day of working and getting ready for the event, they were finally there. She was filled with relief with a tad bit sprinkled tiredness.

“Hey,” she suddenly felt two warm hands wrapped around her waist, and opened her eyes to the familiar scene. Brooke was smiling at her softly, and it was contagious. Among all those people she was feeling so strange, but thankfully, she was finally ‘home’. 

“I know you love this track,” she said and caressed Vanessa’s cheeks, as she laid her face onto that soft, warm palm with an exhale. “I also know this is the only classic you listen. So I sneaked into the playlist.”

That was true. Normally she would never listen classics, and change the music to a Rihanna song everytime Brooke puts on one. Except this one, this one was touching somewhere into her, making her feel excited. Vanessa chuckled and took one step forward to get into Brooke’s arms completely, placing her head right onto Brooke’s heart over her sparkly dress. Finally they weren’t afraid of acting like themselves around other people, and it was surely a gift.

She put a kiss onto Brooke’s bare chest as the blondie run her fingers through Vanessa’s curls. “They’re so fake.” The younger girl pouted and murmured, and looked right into Brooke’s eyes. Knowing that her girlfriend was feeling the same things. Brooke shrugged. “I don’t care. My eyes were on you all night.” Vanessa bit her lips, trying to hide her smirk. She still wasn’t used to Brooke’s unexpected romantic words. She wasn’t lying though. Vanessa was feeling Brooke’s eyes on herself all night long as she talked to the stranger faces about the collection. They were looking for each other everytime one of them disappeared, eyes searching the room. They were clearly disturbed by the crowd, craving for some familiarity. “I know,” she murmured, and stood on her tiptoes to steal a little kiss. “Can’t wait to go home.”

Brooke raised her brows and slightly separated their bodies with astonishment. “So you’re coming tonight too?” She said, wasn’t able to hide her happiness reflecting into her voice. Because of their busyness, Vanessa was always being stubborn about staying together, but finally Brooke was able to steal her for herself without holding back or talking about work. Vanessa put her hands over Brooke’s shoulders, acting like sweeping some nonexistent dust. “The launching shit is over and tomorrow is sunday, so I think you can host me for one more day...”

Then they were melting into each other with little whispers, and everybody else around the room was disappearing as always. The crowd was gone, they were alone in their room, Brooke playing with Vanessa’s hair, fakely arguing about something unimportant... Until someone else gets into their scene and distracts them. Ugh, that was quite ridiculous, they both hummed with unsatisfaction.

“Okay, enough love scene for these poor lonely guests today,” Nina grabbed Vanessa’s shoulder and gently pulled her back. “I have two questions.”

Brooke fixed her dress with a little cough, and looked at her friend staring at them with a weird look that neither of them could name.

“First, how did you convince the fucking ‘Smalls’ into signing a contrast?” She whisper screamed, secretly pointing the huge name with her eyes, tall, beautiful woman talking to a reporter. Brooke was looking as surprised, but Vanessa was smirking, biting inside of her cheeks to hide that.

The blondie took her time to process those words, because Smalls and signing a contract weren’t the words they were used to hearing together. They had been in the business for ages, but it was impossible even for them to find a free day for a meeting with them. No matter how many important and big names they’d included into the situation to help, it was a struggle.

“What?!” Brooke screamed. “The fuck? I didn’t! How did they accept-“ She looked at her friend, but she was as confused. Then both women’s eyes stopped on Vanessa, they knew.

That little silhouette was stronger with her words better than anyone else, even better than Brooke, there was no doubt she was the one who convinced them to work together.

“You’re kidding...” Brooke mumbled, and grabbed her wrist with shock. “‘Ness, you just made us gain millions, baby, you know that, right?” Vanessa smiled proudly, and nodded without trying to hide her excitement. 

Of course she knew, she wasn’t dumb. She had been working on scheduling a meeting with the company, but when she could ‘somehow’ -thanks to Plastique- attend the launching, they didn’t even need to do that. Vanessa was a good speaker, and they were too easy to fall into her wise words. 

She shrugged with a grin, and didn’t resist Brooke pulling her into a huge kiss, hands grabbing her neck. That kiss was deep, so deep, Vanessa knew that she did a great job at that moment. Brooke was the wildest and the hungriest everytime she gets happy and excited, the younger girl was definetely getting rewarded that night. She moaned into her mouth as their tongues touched, and closed her eyes, gaze almost rolling back to her head with pleasure. 

When they got interrupted with Nina’s cough, Vanessa couldn’t pull her pieces together for a while, blinking with shock. But Brooke was so satisfied, fixing her lipstick with the back of her fingers with a smirk. 

“Good job,” Nina rolled her eyes, wrinkling her nose. “Before everybody start asking you the number of your shared glossy lipstick, I wanna ask you my second question.” Vanessa averted her gaze with a chuckle, and laid back onto the brick wall, wiping the excess lipstick messed down to her chin, feeling completely ruined. Brooke wasn’t so different, they were sharing the same smile, and without a doubt, same feelings. Both of their minds were in a different place until they both cracked into a huge laugh echoing in the building after Nina’s words. “May I ask, why our workers are talking about Brooke’s nipple piercings?”

***

Brooke laid her shoulder onto the door corner and looked at the beautiful scenery in her house. Vanessa threw herself onto the corner couch with the cats in her arms, and started kissing them both continuously without realising she was being watched. They are so beautiful, Brooke was thinking. She loved how good she fit into her house like that, without even putting an effort on it. They were a whole, even being just like themselves, and Brooke was still getting shocked by how magical was that. 

“I love you too little guy!” Brooke laughed shortly at Vanessa talking to the cat, and rolled her eyes. She was grabbing their cheeks and talking right into their eyes; those were the blondie’s favorite moments. And Vanessa probably had no idea how precious they looked like that, how Brooke felt seeing them like that. She was feeling her heart squeezed in godly hands while watching all of her favorite beings enjoying their time together. She was feeling butterflies being released into her stomach, it was so weird.

“Brooke, where are y-“ Vanessa suddenly turned the door and her eyes caught Brooke watching her, arms tied on her chest, with a smile on her face. “What?” She asked. “What are you doing?”

“I’m thinking,” Brooke mumbled, and took her heels off before walking closer to them. “About how much I love seeing you here.” 

Vanessa smiled and straightened up on the couch a little bit to catch the little kiss Brooke was willing to give before sitting. “I love being here.” She whispered, and caressed the gray cat laying on her lap. Brooke had already knew, so she just smiled.

“I’m almost gonna feel jealous!” she mocked after a short silence, watching her girlfriend with her pets. 

“What?” Vanessa froze with the weird confession, and freed the cat trying to leave. “They love you the most dumbie, you know that.”

Brooke pulled Vanessa onto her lap gently, without breaking their eye contact. The younger girl looked frustrated, so she had to explain her little joke. “I’m getting jealous over ‘you’, dumbie.” She faked Vanessa’s little insult and got closer, catching Vanessa’s shocked face before closing her eyes into the moment peacefully. “I’ll start to think you love them better, huh?” Brooke continued. That made Vanessa laugh loudly. 

“You’re such a bitch,” she mumbled and touched their foreheads after taking her laughter under control. Vanessa should’ve known that Brooke wasn’t serious, only joking to get her attention. “As if you don’t have me all to yourself all day tomorrow.” 

Brooke brushed their noses together slowly, and pushed her chin further, but stopped without kissing, just lips touching each other as she talked. 

“What if I always want you all to myself?” Vanessa opened her eyes slowly, blinking, pulled herself back a little bit, and immediately caged Brooke’s greens into hers. “What?” She said. She was sensing something, a question, but she wasn’t so sure if she was getting it right.

“What for what?” Brooke mumbled, thinking that her words were pretty clear. “I want you here, Vanessa.” Vanessa came down from her lap to the couch slowly, mouth slightly opening with confusion, trying to think as fast as possible. 

“Are you- are you sure?” She asked, and turned to Brooke. She was waiting for a yes clearly, so even Vanessa wanting to confirm her question sounded unnecessary. Brooke was thinking about that since their very first week, the first time Vanessa stayed overnight. The breakfast they had together was still in the most special corner of her mind. Even the imagination of waking up with Vanessa’s coffees -and little romantic post-it notes stuck under the cup- everyday was making her feel dizzy. She was the biggest fan of everything about Vanessa since then, since the first time she had seen how much of a better half she could be when she gave her the opportunity. And she had no will to lose that, nor stay away for one more minute when they had an opportunity to open their eyes into the same ceiling every other day.

“Why would I fake something like that?” Brooke knitted her brows, and grabbed one of Vanessa’s hands to get her attention. 

“This house is starting to look too big for just one person, since the first moment you stepped into it, Vanessa,” she mumbled, and caressed Vanessa’s palm with her thumb slightly. “And,” Making a romantic, soft speech definetely wasn’t one of her strong suits, but she was trying her best. “I love seeing you here. Even seeing your stuff around the house. I can’t believe that I’m telling this to someone, to be honest, but I love waking up with you, ‘Ness. Fuck, don’t you see how much of a fool you’ve turned ‘me’ into? Will you make me beg more?” 

Vanessa laughed and covered her face with her hands. She was still getting surprised by that too. She shaked her head and rubbed her eyes with a huge grin on her face. The place would never matter to her, as long as they were together. She was just feeling so... blessed. 

“Will you prepare the breakfast tomorrow?” Vanessa suddenly asked. It was Brooke’s turn to get shocked. “What?”

“Coffee too,” she said. “I miss having your coffee.”

Brooke laughed with astonishment when she realised it was a yes, and pulled Vanessa back to herself by grabbing her nape. 

“Oh I’d buy you a whole coffee shop if you would want...” she whispered and stole a small kiss before continuing. 

Vanessa hit her chest softly with a fake anger, trying to hide her smile. “Not necessary,” she said and turned her gaze away with shyness. “But you may have to kiss me wake up every other day.” Brooke chuckled and connected their lips together again, that was a clear yes from both of them, so she made Vanessa lay back on the couch slightly. “Brooke- no!” Vanessa laughed loudly when Brooke’s hand caressed her inner thighs, knowing where they were gonna end up. As always, when they were the ones to mention, things were escalating super quickly.

“No?” Brooke said cockily, knowing that Vanessa didn’t mean to say that. “I can leave you here if you want to, but this doesn’t look like a no to me,” she pressed two of her fingers onto her wetness and made Vanessa whine with pleasure. “No- I mean- yes- fuck.” Brooke smirked with satisfaction, and covered her lips with hers as Vanessa slowly turned into a puddle under her arms.

“Will you take a shower with me afterwards?” Vanessa asked with a bated breath, chest heaving fastly. “Look at you,” Brooke chuckled and threw her head back with joy. “Thinking about the rest before we even start.” She caressed Vanessa’s hair right after that, and put a wet kiss onto her neck. “Let me finish what we couldn’t finish two times in the morning first.”

Vanessa nodded, still breathing heavily. “Then can we watch The Notebook together?” She asked, asking everything coming into her mind, that they could do while living together. Brooke was enjoying her getting excited like a little child, but they had a ‘thing’ to take care of first. “Yes, yes baby, we will,” she slurred over, slowly rubbing her girlfriend’s spot, making her gulp. “Then- then- what about going to a wa-“

Brooke rolled her eyes, lazily took her fingers off between Vanessa’s legs, and slid them into her mouth instead, shutting Vanessa up. 

“Will you ever shut up?” she whispered, pushing their bottoms together and making Vanessa moan as she sucked her own taste of Brooke’s fingers and nodded fastly. “Good girl,” Brooke smiled, and kept caressing Vanessa’s soft curls spreading over the couch.

“Now listen,” she said, pushing her fingers deeper, almost making Vanessa gag and clearly taking her attention. “This is our home from now on, baby, we’re home,” she kept whispering, and rolled her hips through Vanessa’s bottom. “And we have plenty of time to spend together. We can do whatever you want, anytime, okay?” 

Vanessa nodded again, and took a deep breathe when Brooke pulled her fingers back, placing them right back on Vanessa’s clit after tying her hair into a ponytail. “Now,” she said, and brushed their noses together, making Vanessa close her eyes into that touch. “Let me make some love with my girlfriend.” Vanessa felt her eyes tearing up because of pleasure. Brooke was clearly the only one who could make her let out the tears of joy like that. She threw her head back with a moan when Brooke kissed her whole face with her movements getting faster, and lips whispering the prettiest words into her ears. She could only remember four words before she reached her peak, and everything else was gone. She was feeling as though they were in another universe under her gaze, as always.

“Home,” Brooke whispered as a relaxed whine left Vanessa’s mouth uncontrollably. “You’re my home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When she finally sent Vanessa with a hundred calming words and kisses, she exhaled loudly and threw the blanket and pocket warmers on the floor, trying to wipe off the blush around her nose, starting to trigger her. Was that the right thing to do? “For god’s sake,” she mumbled and ran through the living room to take her phone, drowning in her thoughts. But she had no time for that, the clock was ticking. “If any of you ruins this surprise after this much effort, I’m gonna throw hands.”  
> She grabbed her phone while torturing her lips with stress, and texted their WhatsApp group she had created just for that thing.
> 
> She just left. Let the game begin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my my! We’re saying goodbye to When You Fall Again and our extra extra couple. Until we meet in another universe with another characters. And I’m so excited to see what you all think! I wanted to end it with the cutest way possible, so we took the things a couple years forward. What do you think could happen? 😌
> 
> Before leaving you alone with B and V, I wanna thank you so much for being here, reading, and commenting on my story. That means a lot to me. So I’m willing to start writing another AU very soon. Would love to see you in there again.  
> Hope you enjoy the finale episode. Have a good day lovely!

“Are you sure?” Vanessa asked for the tenth time, wearing her coat with Brooke’s help.

“Yes, baby, I’ve already told you a hundred times. I’ll be completely okay.” Vanessa still wasn’t sure when she turned back to Brooke’s face, looking so sick with her red nose, wrapped with that fluffly blanket.

She was struggling with understanding the woman getting suddenly so sick. Thinking a thousand bad things at the same time. Because she was feeling so good, really good -maybe to good- at night, even tired Vanessa so bad she could still feel her legs shaking, and they slept well afterwards. But when the young girl woke up for the work with their everyday coffee smell, she suddenly came across to an ill mess instead of the CEO goddess always ready to work her ass off. And it wasn’t a normal day for them, at all.

“Honey,” Vanessa grabbed her girlfriend’s face with a serious look and placed her lips on her forehead, checking her fever once again, she was colder, but still not warm enough. “I don’t wanna leave you alone like this. You’re burning.”

Brooke sniffed and shaked her head fastly with disagreement, Vanessa was almost gonna think she was scared of her staying. What could possibly happen if she would let her stay? She could take care of her and replace herself with one of the workers, just for a day. 

“Nuh-uh,” Fuck it, she was so insistent. Like every other thing she wanted to happen. “No way. We have a serious meeting about logistics today and I have to be sure that there will be someone that I can completely trust. And it’s you.”

She wasn’t wrong. The last time they tried to stay home to have some alone time, they were called to come for a meeting ‘immediately’ during a very inappropriate session. Vanessa pouted, and caressed Brooke’s cheeks before grabbing her purse over the ottoman. That was her letting her guards down. 

“You’re definitely going, and not leaving early for me,” Brooke pushed her more and more forwards as if she hasn’t convinced her already. “And I’m staying alone. I’m a grown ass woman, almost thirty six, remember? I can take care of myself.” Vanessa nodded as she filled her cheeks with air and mind with frustration. 

“Will you eat the soup that I made?” Vanessa asked and checked if she got the car keys and her phone meanwhile. Brooke rolled her eyes and nodded. Vanessa was stealing her time more with every second they’ve spent. “Yes babe, I said I promise. And yes, I will be careful, won’t use the shower in case I fall and hit my head yada-yada-yada...”

Vanessa was still concerned, though. She knew that she was kinda overreacting but she had a right to do so. They’ve been together for more than a year, almost two, and Brooke would never, ever, not once in the world, got sick. And now she was coughing and had a fever and sniffing and... Vanessa was about to lose her mind because of worry. 

“Oh-kay...” Vanessa raised her brows, and tried to calm herself down by dropping her conspiracy theories. “Jesus, what would I do if we had a kid or something. I would be a freaky ass mother,” She murmured, thinking that Brooke wouldn’t hear, but she was listening behind her back. She was failing to hide her smile even while just thinking of Vanessa as a mother.

They both knew that it was early, even talked about how they didn’t even want a baby before for their chaotic life’s sake, but if they ever would, Brooke knew that Vanessa would be the most careful, also the best one. She tried so hard to distract her mind from the imagination of that. 

Because she’d already been trying so hard to stay in the sick role, but Vanessa was making it even harder, being even cuter with every word leaving her mouth. Brooke didn’t have the heart to make her worry like that, that was her weakest point and Vanessa was stepping onto her heart strings without knowing shit. All she wanted was wrapping her arms around her at that moment, apologize for faking about something serious like that and place a hundred kisses all around her face. But you almost made it, she reminded herself and gulped, she wouldn’t leave the house otherwise.

“You would be the prettiest mother this world had ever seen,” she said with a chuckle, struggling with staying in the moment, and put a kiss on top of Vanessa’s head before she placed her hands on her shoulders, and pushed her out. “But now leave. I’ll call you later.”

When she finally sent Vanessa with a hundred calming words and kisses, she exhaled loudly and threw the blanket and pocket warmers on the floor, trying to wipe off the blush around her nose, starting to trigger her. Was that the right thing to do? “For god’s sake,” she mumbled and ran through the living room to take her phone, drowning in her thoughts. But she had no time for that, the clock was ticking. “If any of you ruins this surprise after this much effort, I’m gonna throw hands.”

She grabbed her phone while torturing her lips with stress, and texted their WhatsApp group she had created just for that thing.

**_ She just left. Let the game begin. _ **

***

“Since when I’m paying you to judge my plans, Plastique?” Brooke talked between her teeth, and kept searching on the web while a little chaos appeared on the conference line with Brooke’s scolding. She was already so nervous and excited, her assistant wasn’t helping at all with her not-constructive judgment.

“She’s right though. We’re trying, Brooke,” Nina’s voice was tired already. “But she was so distracted all day, thinking about you. We’re hardly keeping her in the building.”

Brooke’s sudden laugh made Nina grunt. When this bitch would possibly stop enjoying the things that make them suffer? Brooke could imagine her rolling her eyes.

“I swear to god I had to create twelve different struggles and she solved them all in ten minutes just to leave early for ‘you.’ Seriously, couldn’t you find another way to stay at home? Something about an artistic hermit mode or shit...” 

Brooke felt her heart melting and bit her lips. She wasn’t even paying attention to her friend’s last words after some point. What was she even talking about? Kermit? The frog?

Oh god, of course she would try to leave early for her. Brooke would do the same, and Vanessa wouldn’t be able to convince her to go if that would ever happen. She would shut down the whole company for her on that day, but wouldn’t leave Vanessa alone. Because even the thought of her beautiful body being in pain was making her feel dizzy with the same aches.

She remembered that one time when Vanessa’s period pain gone too far and made her double up in bed with tears in her eyes, before they had to take her to hospital for a strong painkiller.

God, if Vanessa was feeling the type of way she felt on that day, Brooke would punch herself in the face. Even the memory of that was still haunting her in her nightmares.

She closed her eyes and thought of them in bed, trying to help Vanessa breathe regularly. “Give me your pain,” Brooke was saying as she caressed her hair, trying to calm down her sobs. “Give it all to me, breathe, baby, breathe...”

Ugh, she couldn’t wait to have her in her arms and make her the happiest that night. After worrying her that much, that wouldn’t even be half of enough. 

Vanessa was surely the best thing had ever happened to her. Every moment they’ve spent together was better than each other, she didn’t know how. She wanted to give her the best, make Vanessa as happy as she made her every other day, without getting bored, by giving her even more love instead. 

She wanted to give her the world, just like she deserved. The whole universe... _She would pick up the stars from the sky to make her a crown if that was possible._ But she could’ve start with baby steps at least, to see that beautiful smile light up the whole world around them.

“Oh god, it’s gonna be so worth it,” Brooke mumbled with a smile, and closed the screen of her laptop with her shaky hands. Those thoughts were too intense even for her, she needed a break from them. At least until the night.

“Just two more hours, people, come on. Until I get ready and the packages arrive.” She could hear Plastique and A’keria whine at the same time. Vanessa wouldn’t listen neither of them or mind their problems when Brooke was the one in question, so two more hours sounded like a day in hell.

“Chile, call her at least,” Jaida interrupted the messy conversation. “And make sure that you sound healed. Because I just saw her pack her stuff to leave even if I mentioned her about the little meeting. It won’t be easy to keep her after this point.”

Well, that was a good idea. She could’ve done that. That would be a cute excuse to hear her voice and tease a little bit. “Sure thing,” she said before hanging up. “Good luck.”

They really needed some luck with it, she knew. Because Vanessa was a ball of energy with a clever mind, she could’ve trick them easily to escape. They wouldn’t even realise.

She found her name in her contacts and put her earpods on, ran to their room to get dressed. She still needed to tidy the bed and prepare the room and garden and everything...

“God, Brooke, why aren’t you picking up my fucking calls?”

Vanessa immediately picked up and screamed on the other line, and made Brooke curse internally. Their conference call had lasted longer than they have thought, so surely Vanessa was hearing that annoying beeping sound everytime she tried to call her, and getting more and more worried, even mad.

“Shit, sorry baby. I was talking to Nina about the meeting.” She bit her lips. “But I’m fine, much better, super energetic, almost healed.” She unpacked her dress and hoped for that happy words to work, untied her bathrobe, putting on her lace lingerie in a hurry. “Are you sure?” Vanessa mumbled, voice getting calmer in a second, she was almost convinced. “You sound better though.”

Brooke let out a relieved breath and closed her eyes, clipping the stockings. “Yes,” she confirmed and huffed. “Yes. You don’t have to be worried.”

They talked about the day nicely while Brooke got completely dressed, and she could feel her girlfriend’s tone getting relaxed as they did.

“What did you have for lunch?” Brooke asked and put her diamond earrings on, watching her reflection carefully on the mirror, and listening Vanessa with the same attention. She let her curls spread around her shoulders, knowing that Vanessa loved touching them.

“Good,” She mumbled, and sat onto the bed to wear her red bottoms. “Do you want me to choose a movie for the night? So we can have some snuggle and popcorn time?”

She knew that Vanessa would never say no to that, and hearing her chuckles from the other line was confirming that. She smiled at her reflection with the joy of satisfying her, and fixed her deep cleavage when Vanessa started recommending movies with a happy voice.

Brooke was crazy for that Vanessa -as if she wasn’t for the every other form of her- talking like a ray of sunshine, brightening the room with her words. So much, I would never get sick of making her happy, she thought, and fixed the red lipstick she had just put on, eyes deeply gazing herself in the mirror. It was surely gonna be messed up at the end of the night, but who was her to complain? 

“Hmm?” Brooke hummed at Vanessa’s talk, and pressed her lips together. “What about a musical?” She fakely sweeped the dust over her tight black dress and licked her lips. She knew that Vanessa didn’t like musicals, she was just mocking.

“Yeah, I know,” she murmured when the younger girl started whining, and bended over to open her own drawer. “But we can choose together when you come, so you won’t get bored easily.” She digged down the underwears to find the thing she was looking for. “I don’t care if you get though, we could find something more fun to do...” That words made Vanessa laugh playfully, as she started teasing and made Brooke smile.

“It’s not even a question. Of course I’ll take good care of you,” she finally found, grabbed the little black velvet box with those words leaving her lips and sat back onto the bed. Opening the box, and staring at the big shiny diamond, winking at her beautifully.

“Yeah,” She whispered without taking her eyes off the ring, with a faint smile on her face. “Yeah baby, I miss you too.”

***

“Brooke, I’m home!” Vanessa closed the door behind her, and moved her hands quickly to turn the automatic lights on, but they weren’t working. “Brooke? What’s wrong with these lights?” she cussed, and took off her heels at the entrance, passing the hall with a tired exhale. 

Then she realised the whole house was in dark, not just the entrance. She tousled her hair with confusion and reached her phone to use its flash. 

“I swear, Brooke, if you’re trying to scare me, it’s not funny.” She looked around the wide living room, but it was really empty. 

“Honey, I’m worried. Where are you?” She shouted louder, to make her voice heard. But the only thing she could hear was, silence.

After a long day of work, full of frustrating and unnecessary problems of the workers, getting stressed over Brooke was the last thing she wanted. She just needed to have a dinner and be lazy at couch, but this definetely wasn’t it. She gulped and took a step towards their room. She was probably sleeping, she calmed herself down, and they were probably having a temporary power cut. 

“Brooke, wake up baby, we gotta call for an electrician!”

When she stepped onto the stairs going to the bedroom, and suddenly felt a hand covering her mouth, her eyes immediately popped up as she tried to scream.

“Shush, shush... It’s me, it’s me, it’s me...” that familiar voice whispered into her ear, grabbing her from the back to prevent her falling from the stairs.

“No questions allowed,” Brooke said, and put a kiss onto Vanessa’s shoulder as she moaned with relief, chest going up and down fastly.

“Brooke, what the fuck is this?” Of course Vanessa didn’t listen when the woman removed her hand off her lips, heart still pounding with panic and rage.

She was so used to Brooke’s cute surprises, but this was a different level. Now all of her veins were filled with fear and adrenaline, and she was this close to slapping the shit out of her. “I don’t want any surprises today, you’re sick, can you le-”

She had to cut her words when she felt something covering her eyes, and grunted. Of course, Brooke wasn’t gonna listen her and read her own book. She waited as the blondie tied the band tightly behind her back with her skilled hands. “Brooke, I don’t wanna be tied up today, for god’s sake,” she rolled her eyes, knowing that Brooke wouldn’t see. “Can we delay it, I’m so tired,” 

The blondie’s melodic laugh filled her ears after that. “Oh you know I like seeing you so desperate like that, but we’re not playing today. I gotta show you something.” She mumbled, and helped her come down to the stairs. “If I fall-“

“I’ll hold you.” Brooke said, and placed her hand onto Vanessa’s waist. She was still shaking slightly. “Almost there,” she said and caressed her back to calm her down, putting a kiss onto her temple. “Take this step carefully, yeah, good job.” 

The younger girl inhaled deeply when she realized they were outside, in the backyard probably. Fresh air hitting her face was softening her nerves, and one of Brooke’s classical favorites was playing quietly. “We there?” She asked softly. Brooke hummed and hugged her behind her back, grabbing her tiny waist tightly. “But don’t open your eyes yet.”

Vanessa nodded, and grabbed Brooke’s wrists, caressing them. “Are you sure that you’re alright?” Vanessa asked, right before letting out a shaky breath with Brooke’s wet kiss placed on her neck. “Yes, yes,” the blondie answered. “I’ve never been better.”

Vanessa seemed to be relaxing more and more in her arms with every kiss Brooke gave her, every touch she drove around her body. 

“Do you remember the day we met?” Brooke suddenly asked, and brushed her nose down Vanessa’s neck, making her giggle.

“Yes, yes of course,” Vanessa chuckled. She remembered every single detail as if it was a day ago. “That fucking power cu- wait- did you- did you turn off the system?”

Brooke raised her eyebrows with guilt, but Vanessa couldn’t see. Well, that brain was working better than anyone else she knew, so of course she wouldn’t forget. “Maybe,” she said quietly. “To make things a little bit funnier...”

Vanessa threw her head back to Brooke’s shoulders, and hit her with the back of her hand. “You fuck,” she hissed. “You’re not sick either, are you? Do you have any idea how much I got worried?”

Brooke bit her lips and held Vanessa tighter as she tried to escape from her arms with anger. “Shush... You’re right, you’re so right, but I’ll make it up,” she said, putting two kisses between her soft hair and calming her girlfriend down. “Promise.”

Vanessa huffed, immediately giving up. Brooke would never break her promises, so she better has something big to show, she thought. 

“I can forgive if you give me a kiss,” she turned her head back over her shoulder, waiting for her to find her lips. She was so relieved to hear that Brooke wasn’t sick, she quickly forgot -or chose to ignore- about her lie.

Brooke caught her dried lips easily, biting them softly with a smile, and let Vanessa turn back to her with a whine. They mixed up together as their touches got deeper, and hardly separated their lips. “Oh god, you scared the shit out of me, please don’t ever do that again.” Vanessa said after the kiss while trying to regulate her fastened breathe, eyes still closed.

“Okay,” Brooke said with a chuckle, “Turn back, let me free you.” realising that Vanessa had started to feel uncomfortable.

When she untied the fabric with a quick move, Vanessa struggled to get used to the dimcandle lights for a while, closing her eyes back.Brooke laughed at her acting like a cute rabbit seeing the headlights, and gave her some time.

“What did you do..?” Vanessa whispered when she could finally stare at the place, surrounded with candles and flowers. “How did you-“ 

Vanessa was surely waiting for something fancy, but this was too much even for her imagination.

Brooke took a step forward and hugged her from the back again, enjoying Vanessa being shocked at the scenery. “Just a little help of the girls...” She said, and smiled at their great work. The arbour surrounded with fairy lights were starting to look better as the sun went down, and the candle fires were accompanying them gently.

“I know you wanted to turn this place into a cozy one from a dead garden, so... Here it is.” Vanessa was still in awe with the beauty of the environment. It was just like popped right out of a fairytale, just like she wanted. Brooke knew her very well. She didn’t even remember herself mentioning about turning the garden into a living space, because it was just a blank pool side area for the other girl. But apparently she somehow did mention, maybe while she was drunk, and Brooke didn’t forget. She was unbelievable.

“I can’t believe you,” she chuckled with astonishment, and looked around some more, trying to absorb everything new. “Are those red roses?” She whispered, when her eyes caught her favorite flowers in the corner of the garden, winking at her with all their beauty.

“Yes, indeed,” Brooke said and caressed Vanessa’s belly with her thumb softly. “And I want a promise.”

“Anything,” Vanessa suddenly answered. “I’ll do anything.” 

Brooke laughed. She was almost drunk with love and shock, so of course she would get excited like that. She slowly reached into Vanessa’s coat’s pocket, and grabbed the ring she had put there before the other girl realised.

“We’re pretty assertive today,” The blondie mumbled, and placed a kiss onto Vanessa’s cheek. “Always,” Vanessa answered cockily. They were always like that, ready for a little friction.

“Will you love me until the last rose of this garden dies?” She suddenly spitted something so unexpected, leaving Vanessa on shock. The younger girl turned back and made eye contact, knitting her eyebrows with a faint smile on her face. “What does that even mean?” She asked, tracing all her face with her gaze in wonder. Brooke didn’t say anything, and made Vanessa look at the flowers again.

“Oh god... They’re fake, aren’t they?” She suddenly realised, and started laughing. That would make sense though, since they were so busy and had no time to take care of any kind of flowers except some dessert strains. They were never, ever gonna die. 

“Yes, but that’s not our point,” Brooke said while joining her happy laughters. “Will you?”

Vanessa looked back at her while keeping her laugh, but it faded slowly when she saw how deeply Brooke was staring at her. She was looking at her soul just like she did everytime she needed to say ‘I’m here’, and without a doubt, she was feeling the exact same thing she felt.

Vanessa drove her eyes through her eyes, nose, trying to memorize every detail, and stopped at her lips; while it turned into a soft smirk. “Yes,” She whispered without a doubt. “Of course I will.”

Normally, she would take her time to answer for something so serious, but Brooke, would never let her down. She was getting Vanessa more and more sure of it, with everything she did. She was full of surprises, and how could she get sick of that? How could she stop loving her when even hearing her name was making her heart happy?

“Give me a kiss,” Brooke whispered onto her lips, they were already so close. And just like that, they became a whole again. Vanessa drunk her whole love inside, Brooke pulled her better to herself, deepening the kiss with passion. “I love you,” Vanessa said between her touches. “I love you, I love you so much...” 

Brooke grabbed her face with her free hand and put one more wet kiss over Vanessa’s messed up cherry chapstick, whispered, “I love you more.”And suddenly slid the diamond ring over her fourth finger with a handy move. 

Vanessa seperated their lips and opened her eyes immediately when she felt the cold object around her finger, and gulped. She was speechless. That was the first time she heard those words from Brooke, she felt her heart popping off her chest with the sensation covering her body. “What is...” Vanessa hardly whispered, but couldn’t finish her words when their eyes met. It was so, so clear what she was gonna say in her girlfriend’s greens, she didn’t even have to look down her hands.  


“You-” Brooke shushed at her second try and gently touched their foreheads together, closing her eyes into the moment, pushing Vanessa to do the same.

Vanessa could have imagined that moment happening in a million different scenarios written in her head, with a million different words leaving Brooke’s lips, but none of them could have cross this bar. Not a single one. It was unbelievable, she couldn’t have imagined even if she thought for years. 

At the same time, it was so Brooke. Even the words she had chosen, the way she asked, was so in Brooke’s league. Vanessa wouldn’t change a thing, wouldn’t do another touch. And both of them knew that saying no wasn’t even an option when Vanessa’s face had gotten wet with tears of joy, once again. Like it did in their anniversary, in Christmas, New Year, in Brooke’s, Vanessa’s birthday, in their work breaks... She was the happiest woman in the world -and she would continue to be-, and Brooke would gladly share the first place with her.

Vanessa wanted to mix into her life even more, Brooke wanted to be a whole. They wanted to have each other, completely, without any borders. 

Vanessa nodded quickly after Brooke whispered those last words onto her lips, and smiled into her tears.

_“Marry me.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO

**Author's Note:**

> I’d be super happy to hear your thoughts on comment section.
> 
> And if you wanna chat, you can find me as @alltherestisdrag on Tumblr  
> XOXO


End file.
